Ask Me Anything
by gethsemane342
Summary: "Thirteen years apart. People become estranged on much less time than that." Short story looking at how Elsa and Anna came to know each other after the events of the film.
1. The Wondering

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Frozen_**

**Rating:** for mentions of sexual themes (nothing graphic) and suicide.

**A/n:** So it seems that if you take home internet away from me for two months, I spend a couple of weeks working on other projects and then decide the appropriate thing to do is to write a fairly long (for me) fanfic. Similar to another fanfic I wrote relatively recently, this idea started life as a oneshot. Unlike the other one, I realised fairly quickly that this would become a chaptered story. There will be five chapters in total. I hope to update once a day although that depends on what time I leave the office Monday-Wednesday. In the meantime, however, I hope you enjoy!

Ask Me Anything

1) The Wondering

It starts with trout.

They are eating dinner together, a few weeks after … everything, when Anna looks at her plate and then at Elsa's. She frowns.

"You don't have to do this for me," she says.

Elsa looks up. "Hmm?"

"I'm fine with not having trout."

Elsa watches her for a few seconds. "You don't want trout? I'm afraid I can't do anything about it now but I'll let Pieter know in future. Sorry, Anna – unless you sweet talk the kitchen staff, you'll have to eat what's in front of you."

"No, no, sorry, that's not what I meant. I like trout but … you hate it."

Elsa glances at her full fork, midway to her mouth. "I do?"

"Um … don't you?"

"No?"

Anna studies Elsa but all she can see in her sister's face is confusion. "But I remember you had a tantrum once. You hated it."

Elsa thinks for a moment. "You mean when we were children?" Anna nods. "I probably did. You're right, I hated it when I was little." She smiles slightly. "I guess it grew on me. Now, come on. If you like it, and I like it, there's no reason for us not to eat it."

Elsa continues to eat and, after a few seconds, Anna does as well. They discuss Elsa's plans for putting the kingdom together again and it is only later, much later, when she lies in bed that Anna thinks, _Thirteen years and I didn't notice that she likes trout._

And then: _what else don't I know?_

They are sisters, she and Elsa, and they should know each other like the backs of their hands. But what does she know about Elsa? Really, what _can_ she know after thirteen years of isolation?

_Who are you, Elsa?_

* * *

><p>She doesn't realise she's decided to remedy it until she blurts out, "What do you like?"<p>

Elsa pauses mid-step. They are supposed to be reviewing some reports – or Elsa is; Anna's volunteered to help because she is Crown Princess and also because she's bored – and Elsa has just finished explaining them to her.

"Um," she says. She glances at the bundle in her hands. "Solid house-building materials to ensure people don't freeze?"

Right. That's what the reports are about.

"No, I mean … in general?"

Elsa doesn't look any less confused but she does give the question some thought. Ever since the Great Thaw, she's listened and responded to everything Anna has said, no matter what it is. Anna can't help wondering how much of this is from interest and how much is from guilt.

"I'm sorry, Anna," Elsa says. "Could you narrow it down, please? I like a lot of things but I don't think that's what you're asking?"

She's right. The question is far too broad. What should she ask? Does Elsa like snow more than any other weather? Does she prefer red or white wine? Is blue her favourite colour?

In her mind's eye, she sees a blond-haired man ask her what Hans' surname is, what his eye colour is, what his best friend's name is. She couldn't answer those questions and look how that turned out.

A hand gently touches her shoulder and she jumps, and then Elsa jumps, hands to mouth, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, are you OK?"

"Yeah," Anna says. "You scared me is all."

Which maybe is possibly just about the worst thing she could say to someone who's lived her whole life terrified of scaring and hurting people.

"So, house-building materials?" she says as quickly as she can. "Yeah! Let's read some reports and, uh, build houses! You know, not actually build them, but tell people how to build them. Or at least pick out the materials rather than _tell_ them how to build, they've been doing it really well before we had anything to say about it so … say, do you think we should see if we can use some of the materials on the castle?"

Elsa blinks. "I … suppose so?" She laughs suddenly and the sound warms Anna's heart. "Come on, Anna. Time to bore you silly with reports about stones and trees. Maybe at the end of it, I'll be able to decide on a favourite plank of wood."

* * *

><p>At first, they work in silence but Anna's attention span won't hold for that long. Not for something as interesting as the water retention rates of different types of wood. Elsa can't blame her – the only reason she can concentrate this long is years and years of having <em>nothing<em> as the alternative past time.

"You know," Anna says, "these would be much more interesting if they wrote them like stories."

Elsa bites back a smile. "Concentrate, Anna."

"It's true though."

"Maybe so, but Arendelle needs houses, not fairy godplanks. Besides, you wouldn't read them even if they were stories."

"Yes, I would." She pauses. "Unless they write it worse than they wrote the story of the girl who fell in love with a sparkling monster."

Elsa pauses and looks up at her sister with some surprise. "You've read that?"

"Years ago. I've read at least half the library. Hey, Elsa, that's an idea. Can we get some more books in there? Good ones, I mean. About brave warriors who save the day and get the girl." She smiles. "Actually, no. Other way round. The girls can go save the day. The boys will be lucky if the girl even looks at them afterwards."

The words _I didn't know you like to read_ bubble up but she forces them down. Anna may be silly but she isn't illiterate. There's no reason she wouldn't like to read.

Except she hated it when they were children. And she's so loud and forceful and she hates studying and reports – reading just doesn't seem like the sort of the thing Anna would like.

Except she does.

"Yes," she says before realising they probably can't afford _that_ right now. "In a few years. We still need to repair the damage … caused."

Conceal, don't feel.

She's not supposed to say that anymore.

Anna sighs but doesn't question it. As they return to the reports, Elsa finds herself wondering what else Anna likes to do. What else does Elsa not know about her little sister? Guilt creeps into her. If she hadn't spent thirteen years hiding herself away, she would know this.

Thirteen years. Thirteen years of barely speaking to her sister, of listening to her through a door, of watching her through windows and at family dinners. If you add up all of the time she spent in proximity to her sister, it probably wouldn't even come to six years.

Thirteen years apart.

People become estranged on much less time than that.

* * *

><p>It is only when they eat dinner that Elsa remembers Anna's weird questions. And she only remembers because she's thinking the same things – what does Anna <em>like<em>?

What does she think? What did she do for thirteen years? What is it about Kristoff that she likes?

She and Anna, they're sisters but they are strangers. Even now, even in this conversation about Anna and Kristoff showing Olaf the lake outside, Anna is … not guarded, but wary of saying the wrong thing. Elsa is nodding along but she's not sure what she can laugh at and have it be laughing with and what would just be laughing at if she laughed.

To an extent, it must be easier for her because Anna spoke to her door for years. Yet when she thinks of those conversations, she doesn't know that she necessarily learnt anything. Besides, the last time Anna did it was about five years ago. Five years is a long time – almost a quarter of her life.

"You OK?" Anna says. "You look kinda spaced out there."

Elsa blinks. "I'm fine, thanks." She hurriedly tries to remember what Anna said. "So, are you meeting Kristoff tomorrow?"

Anna fiddles with her hair, her fingers twirling strands that used to be platinum-blonde. "That's something I need to ask you about, actually."

Anna is almost embarrassed. And wary of something.

"Of course."

Anna nods. "OK." She takes a breath. "It's … maybe I shouldn't see so much of Kristoff." As Elsa opens her mouth to ask where this has come from, Anna says in a rush, "I was in the city today and I heard the talk, you know, that he's a commoner and with the way Arendelle is, I should marry a noble or a prince or … I don't know but I know Kristoff's uncomfortable enough at the castle as it is and then when we go anywhere, they stare at him, and it's not helping you."

Elsa is so stunned by this outpouring that the only thing she can think of to say is:"That isn't a question."

Red tinges Anna's cheeks. "OK. Uh … should I keep seeing Kristoff?"

Why is Anna asking her? Anna has talked about her relationship with Kristoff before, half cheerfully and half warily – as though she both wants to share it and is terrified that Elsa will take it away – but she's never asked Elsa's opinion before.

"Do you like him?" Anna nods. "Is he … nice to you?"

Is he a sociopathic queen-killer?

"He is. He's sweet and kind and, OK, a bit smelly but … he's nice."

Elsa nods although she suspected as much (maybe not his odour but the rest of it). "Then don't let the comments bother you," she says firmly. "Bring him here one night. I'd like to get to know him properly."

She doesn't know him well – only knows that he saved Anna's life and Anna has since fallen for him. It was for services to Arendelle that she appointed him Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer, not because of his relationship with Anna.

"Sure," she says. "Um, so, um, I don't have to marry a prince?"

She nearly says, _Look how the last one turned out_ but even the thought of Hans makes her feel hollow and numb and Anna's dead and it's all her fault and-

Conceal, don't feel.

She's not supposed to _think_ that.

"No," she says, almost fighting to drown out those thoughts. "Kristoff is the Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer. That is equivalent to a baron. That's enough."

Something in Anna's face closes down even as she smiles. "Thanks, Elsa. Is … is that a royal declaration or…"

It wasn't actually but now she realises why Anna asked her. Because Elsa is the Queen and the Crown Princess legally has to ask the Queen for permission to court anyone.

And Anna honestly thought Elsa would refuse her. That's why she was wary. And that's why her question was _should_, not _do you think we'd be good together_.

It stings. Surely Anna should know that all Elsa wants is for her to be happy? Anna nearly died for her. As far as Elsa is concerned, if Anna asked to become a cat farmer and marry a servant girl, Elsa would rewrite the marriage laws herself and then stand in the church holding a basket of kittens.

"It can be," she says as neutrally as she can. She tries to smile. "Don't worry about our prospects with other countries. Plenty of places still need ice and fish and other materials." She makes herself keep smiling. "Besides," she says in what she hopes is a nonchalant tone of voice, "you're not the only eligible royal lady in this family, you know."

* * *

><p>It's only thirteen words but they feel as heavy as thirteen thousand.<p>

She opens her mouth to tell Elsa no, don't do this, but Elsa has already excused herself, claiming tiredness, and walked away. She closes her mouth, wondering how the conversation got so far away from her. She'd envisioned asking Elsa about Kristoff in a jokey way. _Hey, sis, you kind of like Kristoff, and I like Kristoff, so would you mind doing the whole royal thing and saying I can court him? Or he can court me. Or we can court each other. As long as courting is involved_.

And instead she'd rambled, not quite managing to ask for permission, unsure if Elsa would veto it. Probably not – but probably is a long way off from definitely.

Elsa said Kristoff was like a baron – so that made it proper. Because he's nobility. Anna hadn't even known that about Kristoff's title but of course Elsa would want things done properly. She's being unfair, she knows, because she's the one who brought up nobility first but it's almost as though Elsa planned this from the beginning and Anna is sick of not being told things.

But she hadn't meant for this. Maybe Elsa said the thing about being eligible to reassure her but she doesn't think Elsa says things she doesn't mean. At least, not without good intentions.

_Elsa, please, _please, _I can't live like this anymore._

_Then leave._

That night, she sits awake for a long time. She considers going to Olaf but she needs silence more than she needs cheer. She eventually sleeps. When she wakes, her heart is thudding and sweat covers her back as an aisle and a wedding dress slip from her waking mind into the dawn.

She spends the day with Kristoff. When she tells him about the meaning of his title, he nods. It's hardly surprising, he says, given his origins. A topic he can be touchy about.

In relation to the permission to court, he says, "Do you think she would have said no?"

Kristoff says things like that because he has only spoken to Elsa a handful of times.

"I … don't know."

He doesn't question that. Most of her assertions about her sister before the Great Thaw were wrong, or, at least, not quite right. After all, Elsa did hurt her. Elsa nearly killed her.

_For the first time in forever, I finally understand._

She thought she knew people so well then.

"Elsa says you should come back for dinner with us one night."

Kristoff freezes and then coughs. "Do I have to?"

"Kristoffer-"

"Fine. Geez, I hate it when you call me that."

She smiles. "Thanks, Kristoffer."

* * *

><p>Dinner that night starts awkwardly. Anna asks Elsa about her day which, it turns out, was spent trying to open trade negotiations with countries who are not connected to either Weselton or the Southern Isles, and attempting to work out how she can replace the food she accidentally destroyed under a blizzard. Her skin is pale and shadows ring her eyes but courtiers occasionally interrupt with urgent messages and she responds to each one in the regal, even tone that Anna remembers from the years after their parents died.<p>

Her stomach clenches as she thinks about their parents. Elsa notices.

"Are you OK, Anna?"

"Course I am. I'm more OK than a person who's OK for a living."

"What?" Elsa says but Anna can see a spark of laughter in her eyes. That startles her.

"I'm good. Fine. Great. Um, Elsa, maybe you should ask that about yourself? You look terrible. Not _terrible_ but, uh-"

Elsa chuckles. "Thank you." She bites back a yawn. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"You look as though you haven't slept."

"I did. For about two hours. I think."

"Elsa! You need more sleep than that! Let me help. What can I do?" Seeing the refusal already written in Elsa's eyes, she says, "I do have to know all of this, you know."

Maybe Elsa agrees or maybe she just wants to placate Anna because she says, "Thank you, Anna. That would be helpful. Would you like to look at the missive from Corona? They're offering help although they've already done so much for us since Father died that I'm loath to accept anything else. Still. I guess we'll have to take whatever we can. Have a look tomorrow and let me know what you think we should do."

Anna starts to nod even though she has no idea how she's supposed to know what the right response will be. She looks at her sister again, noting the droop of her shoulders. Her hands wrap around a goblet which, now that Anna thinks about it, smells not of wine but of a popular energy stimulant.

"Blech," she says without thinking. "You like that stuff? What's in your goblet, I mean."

Elsa regards the goblet. "Like is too strong a word," she says. "I like not falling asleep on my reports, not the means that prevent me from doing so."

"Did you always sleep this little?"

Elsa looks startled by the question. After a couple of seconds, Anna realises that she's asked about Elsa behind doors. Elsa in the years of isolation. Such a small thing – Elsa's sleep patterns; what she likes to drink – but reflective of something bigger.

"I…" She coughs. "Not _this_ little. I mean, not before Mother and Father died. I went to bed at normal times then. But after … I had to help the Regent keep everything running. So, sometimes…"

"Why didn't you ask me to help?" Anna says and then she remembers. Thirteen years of isolation. "Don't answer-"

But Elsa shakes her head. "No more secrets. You can ask me anything, OK, Anna?" Her gaze is so intense that Anna is half-scared of what would happen if she _doesn't_ nod. Elsa breathes out and Anna can't help but notice that the room is just a little colder than it was a few seconds ago. "Most of it was because I was scared about what would happen if you were nearby," she says softly. "But part of it was because I didn't want to burden you like that. I was only learning myself and you had just lost both of your parents and still had to stay in a castle on your own. I didn't want to burden you even more."

Anna can't help herself – she stands up, walks over to Elsa and wraps her arms around her. Elsa stiffens – as she always does – but then relaxes into the hold.

"What's really silly," Elsa murmurs, "is that in the end, it hurt more than it helped. We tried to protect you and…"

Anna's not ready to talk about it. "You had good intentions," she says. "And it was Mother and Father who made you stay away from me and told you-"

"They wanted to protect you. They didn't know what else could be done," Elsa says sharply. Anna lets go and Elsa slumps a bit. Their parents are another topic they haven't touched. She knows little about Elsa's relationship with them. She thinks she was closer to their father than their mother but she's only gotten this from occasional comments at family dinners. And although no one has said as much, she knows their parents were the cause of Elsa's isolation.

Once, she would have said she adored her parents.

"I know," she says even though she doesn't. She looks over Elsa's shoulder at the drink. "So, you hate that stuff? You know, I don't think I've ever seen you drink wine. Or any alcohol. How come?"

"Do you think a drunk, ice witch queen is a good idea?"

"And a hyperactive, stimulated one is?"

Elsa snorts which is another sound that warms Anna's heart. "Still better than a drunk one. In truth, I think I've only ever had one goblet of wine. I snuck it from the kitchens when I was sixteen."

"You didn't!"

"I did." Elsa grins. "I was in a bad mood with Father and everything and that was my way of rebelling. Went down late at night and took it back to my room. I didn't like the taste much. Since then… I haven't tried any other alcohol. I always have my goblet filled with fruit juice at events and pretend it's wine." She twists to look at Anna properly. "You drink it though."

"Not all the time," Anna says, slightly defensively. "At dinner. Father let me have some on my fifteenth birthday and said I should drink it at dinner. I mean, when appropriate. Wait, are you saying all that time, you were drinking fruit juice?"

"I wasn't allowed alcohol. Hence the kitchen raid. Ice witch, remember?"

She says it casually but her arms twitch, as though she wants to do that weird holding thing she does when she's upset, but is refraining. Does Elsa _like_ her powers? Somehow, Anna hasn't asked. Yet.

The list of questions she hasn't asked just keep piling up.

_Who are you, Elsa?_

"So you drink fruit juice and that stupid stimulant. That's it?"

"Coffee. Heated chocolate, sometimes. And tea. And you?"

"Oh, coffee and heated chocolate for sure. Not tea. I like the strong stuff. I mean, not _strong_ like, really strong wine, but it's gotta have flavour, you know?"

Elsa nods then yawns. She reaches for her goblet but Anna places her hand on Elsa's arm.

"Bedtime for you, sis."

"But I need to-"

"Sleep. If you can, after all that. C'mon, Elsa, Arendelle's not gonna fall apart if you go to bed. I promise."

Elsa smiles tiredly. "When did you get so grown up?"

When she realised that men could be treacherous, older sisters could be heart-achingly vulnerable and parents were fallible.

"No going off topic. Bed. Now." She tugs at Elsa's arm and Elsa, surprisingly, stands up. Anna doesn't let go so they walk through the corridors together.

"Did we set a date for Kristoff coming?" Elsa murmurs. Anna shakes her head. "How about three days' time? That will give him time to panic all he wants."

Kristoff is calmer about it than Anna is but she can't say that.

"I'll tell him. Thanks for suggesting it. It'll be nice. We'll have fun."

"Where does he live?" Seeing Anna's confusion, she says, "Just so I know what time to set the meal at so he can get home." She pauses as something occurs to her. "Anna, I know you like him a lot, and I know I said you two can court, and I _know_ this isn't my business and far be it from me to tell you what to do in your private life – uh, within reason – but it might be prudent if you two, uh … don't … I mean, if you are … you aren't, are you? You don't have to … actually, don't tell me. Just, um, don't give me reason to think you are otherwise I think I have to make a declaration or something and, um…"

Her face is bright red. It takes Anna a few seconds to work out what Elsa, who is normally so forthright and certain, is talking about. When she does, indignation and laughter swell up inside her. Indignation first because who does Elsa think Anna is? And anyway, who is she to tell her who she can and can't sleep with? Why is _everything_ about propriety with her? Then she realises that she _is _the heir and _is _supposed to remain pure until marriage and before Hans and his corruption of love, she would have always said that she would remain pure until marriage. Elsa has to ensure tradition is upheld. So then the laughter because Anna is supposed to be the rambling one and that speech sounded exactly like the sort Anna can give when she's very nervous.

"We aren't," she says, trying to keep a straight face. "If it helps you sleep better. He sometimes stays down in the city. He'll be fine. He takes on wolves. Well, I had to help but, you know, he can handle a couple on his own." She grins as Elsa looks relieved. "You could have just asked, you know."

"That is _not_ a conversation I want to have with my little sister. Just … be careful, OK, Anna? If he's not the one for you…"

Marriages of propriety. Is that what it comes down to?

Or is she assuming the worst of Elsa?

She thinks about what she's learnt about Elsa this evening. She's been working hard for years. She doesn't drink alcohol. She takes stimulant to stay awake. She broke the rules at least once when she was a teenager. She likes tea, coffee and heated chocolate. She's defensive about their parents, despite everything. The thought of discussing Anna's sex life makes her blush.

Small things. So many things in one night. And she still doesn't know what Elsa means when she warns Anna to be careful.

They're nearing Elsa's room when a question drifts into her mind. It's only fair, she thinks, after that conversation. "Elsa," she says, "Have _you _ever had sex? Or kissed someone?"

Elsa said that Anna could ask anything but seeing the way that Elsa's body stiffens, Anna realises that there's a difference between could and should. Just because Elsa has opened the door doesn't mean that Anna has a right to drag her out.

"No," says Elsa quietly, not looking at Anna, "to both questions." She looks ahead, body still stiff. "Anna, I think I can take it from here. Thanks for walking with me. I'll see you tomorrow." She turns her head slightly. "Goodnight, Anna."

"Night, Elsa," she says, watching as Elsa walks into the room and closes the door firmly behind her.


	2. The Formulating

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Frozen_**

**A/n: **Well, this is the second chapter. A good sight longer than the first but hopefully not unbearably so (the first chapter originally ended about halfway through this one but it spoilt the rhythm somewhat so now I've got some normal-length chapters and some rather long chapters). Thank you all for reading along so far and I hope you enjoy!

2) The Formulating

She only covers the desk in frost, although she shouldn't even do that. Once calm, she starts to wipe it off. She won't be able to sleep for another hour or two. Not with the stimulant running through her veins.

Once the frost is gone, she sits on her bed. She contemplates reading reports but Anna told her to sleep and even though there's no way Anna could know what Elsa spent her energised state doing, she'd feel guilty lying to her.

Anna. She closes her eyes, her feet jittering slightly against the floor. There are some things about her little sister that haven't changed in the last thirteen years. Her inability to remember _where_ questions should be asked. Her disregard for the idea that some questions, however innocent, are painful more than they are improper. Her overriding desire to make sure everyone she loves is happy and well.

Elsa stands and paces the room, thinking about the evening's conversation. She feels as though they've found out some things about each other but towards the end, she noticed a wariness in Anna. She can't think what she could have said to get that reaction. But then, her own abrupt ending to the conversation may have confused Anna. Maybe. Her conversations with Anna suggest that the younger girl is more perceptive than Elsa has hitherto given her credit for. Maybe she's always been this way. Or maybe it's recent.

How can one conversation with Anna lead to so much confusion? How is she supposed to be Anna's sister when she barely _knows_ her?

When, to be honest, she doesn't even know herself.

She makes ice sculptures until she's finally dozy enough to sleep. A few hours later, she wakes up, wishing she could burn the image of Anna, still and icy, out of her mind. She sees that often these days. But she hasn't been a steady sleeper for years now.

* * *

><p>By the time Anna comes to collect the Corona missive, Elsa has already listened to the morning's pleas and met with the economics minister. Anna glances at Elsa guiltily.<p>

"Morning, sleepyhead," Elsa says, putting good humour into her voice. "Sleep well?"

Anna nods. "How about you?"

"Well enough," she says.

Which is true.

Anna looks as though she wants to say something but then she spots a steward. Her expression becomes one of someone making an effort to stay silent. Elsa could ask but if Anna, who's normally so fearless and open, wants to stay silent, she must have a good reason. Right?

"Are you still happy to look at the missive?" she says, trying not to look at Anna's expression.

Anna nods. "I want to help. Should … maybe I should get up earlier?"

"It's fine," Elsa says quickly. "I always wake up early. Although some things do take place earlier in the day. But this is fine to be done now." She hands the missive over. "Let me know what you think."

Anna takes it. She glances at the steward again before disappearing. In truth, Elsa is almost certain what her response to the missive will be – agreement to the terms but as a loan because they can't ride Corona's goodwill forever – but she's curious as to Anna's response. From dinnertime meals, and passing comments from their parents, she knows Anna didn't often pay attention in class and did poorly in many things. But when they were looking at the house-building reports, Anna had some insightful comments and she clearly _can _concentrate if she likes to read.

And the amount of willpower, strength and smarts it must have taken her to escape onto the frozen lake with her heart slowly freezing her, even with Olaf's help, must have been phenomenal.

Anna returns an hour later, just before Elsa is due to speak to the foreign relations minister. She isn't smiling but there's still that spring in her step that she's had for as long as Elsa can remember.

"It's kinda tricky," she says without preamble. "I mean, they sound like nice people. Well, not sound, since they're writing, but they look like … oh, you know what I mean. I think they do just wanna help. I guess they're still feeling guilty that it was their meeting Mother and Father were going to when they died." Elsa's heart still skips a beat every time someone reminds her of that. She doesn't hate their Corona cousins but it's hard. "But then we'll look bad if we keep taking their help. People prey on weaker people like that. And we need the money and crops, don't we?"

It hurts to admit it but Elsa says, "Yes. Badly."

"So we're gonna have to take it but we need to repay them somehow. Corona's pretty warm, isn't it? They might need-"

"Ice export isn't that lucrative a trade," Elsa says tiredly.

Anna thinks for a moment. "OK, but ice is just frozen water. They might need the water as well. Extra supplies, you know, in case there's a drought."

"I don't think Corona's about to have a drought."

"Not now. But we do loads of fishing as well, we can trade that. And house-building materials, like in those reports. I know, I know, we need that stuff here more. But what … OK, so let's say they give us the money and crops in exchange for, like, a certain amount of ice, fish, materials – or melted ice and everything I just said – at some point in the future? Say they have to take it in the next ten years. But they can pick when as long as it's not, say, in the next six months. So it's like, we get what we need _now_ and they have the rest for when they need it. And, I mean, the price won't matter 'cause if they need it then, it'd be expensive but they'll be getting it cheap probably 'cause it's based on the price now although I guess there's a chance price'll go down in future and they'll get mad 'cause they overpaid. That might work though. So all we owe is what we're trading in and maybe that'll be bad in future but we can deal with that then." She sees Elsa staring at her. "What? You don't like my idea? Come on, it was my first try, it's not like it's like jumping off cliffs when trees are thrown at you or-"

"Anna, have you been reading economics books as well as stories?"

"What? No. Geez, I liked to have _some_ fun when I was younger. Um, Elsa, in the nicest way possible, you're freaking me out now."

"Do you know what you just described?"

"…A kickass plan to save Arendelle?"

Elsa blinks. "No. Well, yes. That might work actually. In fact, I like it. I'll have someone draft it later."

"Wait, what? You're going to _do _it?"

"Yes. It's a good idea."

"But I-"

Elsa smiles because it seems like the right thing to do. "Don't underestimate yourself, Anna." As Anna opens her mouth, undoubtedly to make some joking reply, Elsa looks down at her papers thoughtfully. "In fact, would you like to look at some more papers? Only while I'm meeting the foreign minister."

"Um, I was going to take Olaf to the mountain village…" Anna shrugs but she's smiling a shy smile. "I guess I can do this. And Olaf'd probably like to help." She hesitates. "But, um, can I meet Kristoff later?"

"Yes, of course. Thanks so much." She gathers her remaining papers and makes her way to the door. "When I get back, feel free to go wherever you want." Anna's words catch up to her as she pulls open the door. She turns back. "Anna, a favour?" Anna nods. "Whatever you do, don't tell _anyone_ we have a talking snowman sorting out our foreign policy problems."

"Ooh, foreign policy? I _love _sorting out foreign policy problems. What's foreign policy?"

Olaf and his snow storm sit at Anna's feet. He has an amazing ability to sneak through doors like that.

"I'll explain," Anna says. "See you later, Elsa."

"Yeah, don't worry, Elsa. We'll get rid of the foreign policy for you."

Elsa bites back a grin as she hears Anna say, "Um … not quite."

* * *

><p>When she returns, Anna is still working with Olaf. She glances at Elsa and the smile is gone, replaced with anger in her eyes. Elsa tries to walk forwards but the anger pierces her. Something wrong. She's done something wrong. She's hurt Anna. She <em>promised<em> she wouldn't do that but she's messed up. As always.

Anna's expression flickers – she doesn't shout at Elsa, although she looks as though she wants to. Instead, she says, stiffly, "We're gonna go now. My work's on the table."

Elsa manages to nod. "I'll see you later, Anna. Thanks for this."

Anna leaves. Elsa looks over the first page of writing – some of Anna's ideas are terrible but others are good. Anna may get up to speed as an heir quicker than Elsa would have thought. She means to look through Anna's work in detail but other work has to be done first and things crop up and soon she has to rush off to more meetings, or hear more petitions and there isn't enough time. There never is. In fact, she almost cancels her evening dinner with Anna but the moment the thought crosses her mind, she crushes it. She will give up many things for Arendelle but not her sister. Not anymore.

She wonders if Anna will come to dinner. Her first thought is that if Anna is angry, she may pretend to be sick. But she doubts that will happen. Anna rarely bottles things up – she charges into them. And she knows that her little sister is as dedicated to being a family again as Elsa is.

Still, she doesn't want Anna's anger or Elsa's terror to be on display in a dining room. She goes to the kitchens to request the food on a tray. Balancing dinner precariously, she makes her way to Anna's room. With one foot, she taps the door.

After a few seconds, the door opens. Surprise flashes across Anna's face. "Elsa, what-"

"I thought we could eat somewhere else today. Olaf told me you were in your room. Can I come in?"

Olaf wouldn't tell her why Anna was mad. For all that Elsa created him, it's Anna he adores and Anna who he would do anything for. She has that effect on a lot of people.

"Um. Sure. Yeah. Um, d'you want a hand?"

"I'm fine," she says. Anna holds the door open wider and she scoots in, placing the tray on Anna's desk. Then she looks around.

She's never seen Anna's room before. It's a strange thought, one she hadn't considered, but she was never allowed in here after Anna was given her own room. And since then, she and Anna have been to each other's doors but never inside.

It's big. The walls are yellow but she can see pictures and hangings, coloured red, orange, green. Colours which make her think of heat and summer. But, of course, Anna would like summer. Wouldn't she? She always liked to build snowmen in winter so maybe that's what she prefers.

"Hey, uh, Elsa, should we eat?"

She turns to Anna who has moved the tray to the floor. There isn't enough space at the desk to eat.

"Anna," she says, "What's your favourite season?"

Anna shoots her an odd look. "Um … not fall, I guess. That's miserable. And spring's a paler version of summer. I like winter 'cause that's when it snows but in summer, everything glows with life, and it's warm and you can be outside. And summer doesn't make me think…" She trails off, shooting a sidelong glance at Elsa and it hurts. Because Anna definitely thinks before she speaks now, and she knows it's a _now_ and not an _always did_. "Summer," Anna says definitively. "Um, how about you? Winter?"

She remembers that they're supposed to be eating so she sits down, legs bending awkwardly in her dress. Anna stifles a giggle as she sits as well. Elsa leans forward to take a bite of her food. Then her mind turns to the question. She hasn't been outside as often as she goes now since she was eight. Occasional trips with her father while growing up but most meetings took place in the castle. Her main experience of seasons has been through the window.

"Not summer," she says. "Too hot." She thinks some more. "Not fall either. And winter… No, it has to be spring, I think."

"Really? But you're an _ice_ witch." Anna's mind catches up. "Sorry."

Elsa smiles. "I know. Ice and snow and winter and cold are me. But spring … it's about new life. Things start to happen in spring. And it's not too hot and it's…"

Not her.

"How about colour?" she says before Anna can question her further. She looks around the room again. "For some reason, I always think of you as liking red but I don't think you ever wear it."

"If I wore red, no one would be able to tell where the clothes end and my head begins," Anna says. Elsa laughs. "Green, though. Yours has gotta be blue, you always wear some."

Elsa smiles. "Guilty."

Anna grins. For a few seconds, they chew in companionable silence and Elsa can almost forget that Anna is mad at her.

"Elsa?" Elsa looks up. "Why did you…" She closes her mouth. "Nothing. Ignore me."

"Anna?"

"Seriously. It was a stupid question." There's something in her expression, something pleading, and Elsa knows she's serious again. Whatever the question was, Anna doesn't want to ask it. Elsa is curious – no, more than curious, she's worried – about what Anna wanted to ask. Why did Elsa what?

She said that Anna can ask her anything. That means Anna can _not_ ask if she wants.

The silence is awkward now. Anna's fingers twitch. She probably wants to make noise.

She takes a breath. "Anna," she says. It's quiet but Anna instantly focuses. "Why were you angry earlier?"

"Angry? Pfft, I wasn't angry. I was calm as a lake in summer with fish swimming around it." She glances at Elsa and seems to deflate. "OK, I was angry. I … why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That the king of the Southern Isles wrote to you."

It's not what she thought it would be but it's possibly even worse. She hadn't realised that letter was in the pile. She's barely read it herself – not because she doesn't have time but because she can't bring herself to look at it. What does it contain? Apologies? Sneers? Offers of help? Threats of destruction? A staggering figure and _Elsa, you can't run from this_ and _she said that _you _froze her heart_?

She meant to burn it. But she _couldn't_ do it because if it offered any help at all then maybe she would need to look at it.

But that isn't Anna's question. And she said that she would answer anything Anna asked.

"I couldn't do that to you. I was going to throw it away. I haven't even read it. I want nothing to do with them and I … should have told you." She crosses her arms, feeling naked fingers touching her sides, lending her support. "I'm sorry, Anna. You have as much right as I do to know if they contact us. But when I saw it, I wanted it to be as far away from me as possible."

"But you kept it?"

"Maybe … one day…"

Anna's eyes flash. "No. No way. I don't care what happens, we _can't_ accept anything off them. I … I won't let you."

"You won't _let_ me?" Elsa's head rises. "Anna, I am the _Queen_ of Arendelle. I _know_ it's horrible – I want _nothing_ to do with the Southern Isles – but, sometimes … sometimes, a queen has to do things for the good of the country. I will _not_ let Arendelle fall."

"But they tried to kill me. You. Us. They're evil!"

"I know what _Hans_ did, not the Southern Isles. Sometimes, you have to do something horrible for the greater good. I would do _anything_ if it meant saving Arendelle."

"That's exactly what _he _would've said. He would have killed us and pretended it was for Arendelle. You _can't_ do it. Not them. If you cared about me at all, you wouldn't do it."

Anna glares at her and she glares right back. Anna is angry. Anna is furious. She hasn't seen anger like this directed at her since...

She's in a too-bright ballroom, with too-loud music, and her little sister, who was so beautiful and happy just minutes before, yells at her, and she's telling her to leave and she reaches for her glove and-

"Elsa?"

She nearly kills her.

And she's in a palace of ice and she's furious and she _hurts_ Anna, shoots ice at her, and Anna staggers but refuses to give up on her and…

_Your sister is _dead_ because of you._

"Elsa? Elsa, please don't … I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Please don't cry."

She raises a hand to her cheek and feels a tear sliding down.

"I'm sorry, Anna," she whispers. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Arms wrap around her as snow softly falls to the ground. "I know."

* * *

><p>Anna doesn't sleep that night. Every time she closes her eyes, she remembers.<p>

That day may have led to something wonderful but she still thinks of it as one of the worst days of her life. She remembers many unpleasant parts. Cold spreading through her body, slowing her, killing her; a blizzard raging on frozen water; feet moving too slowly; a sword descending. But those are nothing compared to the other memories. A cruel smirk and _oh, Anna. If only there was someone out there who loved you_ feature often in her dreams and waking moments. And when they don't, she remembers Elsa, small and kneeling, snow freezing in place, following words she doesn't hear which _break_ Elsa.

And then. In the depths of her sleepless nights, she sometimes closes her eyes and it's still not as dark as that moment of … nothing. Just the colour of black.

And amongst all that, she's never forgotten that first breath and the sound of Elsa's sobs. Even though that was _good_ because it meant she'd done it, she'd saved her sister, the pure, helpless, broken, lost sound in those sobs echoes throughout her mind.

She doesn't know what happened this evening. She argued with Elsa and then Elsa looked lost. And then she cried. Anna isn't sure that it was because of the argument.

Elsa is as fragile as the ice she wields.

It's a terrifying thought.

So she doesn't sleep because how can you sleep when your own anger nearly breaks your sister in the same way your own anger nearly broke her the first time? She's still angry because Elsa _should_ have told her but once the tears were dried, Elsa promised her that any contact with the Southern Isles would be an absolute last resort.

Anna's also still angry because of the _other_ letters but she couldn't confront Elsa – she couldn't shout at her after the tears. She still can't think of a way to address it but she can't do it this way again. She can't hurt Elsa again. She just can't.

But she doesn't know what to say.

That's never happened to her before.

* * *

><p>The next day, she doesn't see Elsa until the evening. She doesn't know who is avoiding who. Elsa hasn't suggested that Anna help her with any of her work but Anna certainly isn't volunteering to do it. She wonders if she's a bad sister when Olaf volunteers to sit with Elsa all day. He <em>says<em> it's because he likes sorting out foreign policy but she suspects that he knows Elsa needs the support. He has an uncanny ability to know who needs someone there.

That evening, their talk is stilted. It reminds her of that conversation they had in the ballroom, before the Duke of Weselton showed up. For the first time since they started eating dinner together, she's glad when it's over.

The next day, she only remembers that Kristoff is supposed to eat with them that night when he reminds her.

"You OK?" he says.

"Oh yeah, I was just thinking. Yeah, totally fine. Very fine. Amazing."

"You know, every time you ramble like that just makes me think you're not OK."

She smiles as he gently caresses her hand. Even though there are a hundred ways this meal could go wrong, she's glad that he will be there. She never was good at facing up to things on her own. She just liked to think she was.

When evening rolls around, they walk up to the castle together. Anna has convinced Kristoff that he doesn't need to wear a suit but does need to wear something cleaner than his usual ice cutter gear. She has also convinced him that Sven will need to stay. She doesn't _think_ he was serious about that but it's hard to tell with Kristoff.

They are eating in the small dining room. Elsa is the gracious host and Kristoff is nervous and clearly trying not to say anything she might perceive as rude. Anna had asked him earlier why he was worried about talking to Elsa. He said it was because she's the Queen. When Anna pointed out that _she_ is the Crown Princess, he shrugged and said she's Anna.

They're both trying not to mess it up for her, even though Kristoff hates formal events and Elsa is … unhappy. But she doesn't want this. She wants Kristoff to smile his secret smile and make sarcastic comments which make her laugh. She wants Elsa to snort and make those dry comments while her eyes sparkle with amusement.

"So, I was thinking, I might go hike in the mountains tomorrow evening," she says, interrupting their subdued question and answer about different types of ice (and really, who knows or cares about different types of ice?) (Except Kristoff) (And maybe Elsa, actually). "Thought I'd go camping."

"You've gotta be kidding," Kristoff says.

"Please tell me you're joking," Elsa says at the same time.

She fights back the smile. "No. I heard it's really pretty up there and I thought, you know, everyone says royalty is never in touch with, like, the common people and nature and stuff so I thought maybe I'd go experience it."

"They said you're not in touch, not that you should get yourself killed."

She holds her breath because a comment like that-

"Sitting on a mountain doesn't mean you get to know people," Elsa says and she can see that sparkle in her eyes. "Unless you're looking to become queen of the reindeer."

"C'mon, Feisty Pants, if you're that desperate for reindeer love, you can go talk to Sven."

"Well. That's a dimension of your relationship I didn't want to know about. When I gave you two permission to court, I didn't include Kristoff's pet reindeer. The laws on bestiality are strict, you know." Kristoff's mouth is wide open. "Don't look so surprised. It's been a crime for yea-"

His face burns red. "No, no, that's not … that was the last thing I expected you to come out with, your Majesty."

"Be glad I commented on that and not the feistiness of her pants. Which you would know about how?"

Kristoff splutters even more. Then he catches Anna's eye before looking at Elsa. "You're … you're joking, aren't you?"

Elsa smiles. "Not about the illegality of bestiality. But otherwise, yes. I'm sorry, Kristoff. I couldn't resist the chance to embarrass my little sister."

"That's … understandable, your Majesty."

Elsa studies him for a few seconds. "You don't have to call me your Majesty. If you're courting Anna – or if Anna's courting you, I don't know which one of you is doing the courting – then I imagine we'll see each other often." She smiles. "Elsa."

He smiles hesitantly. "Kristoff." He looks down quickly before turning to Anna. "You're still not camping overnight on the mountain. Without an experienced mountaineer-"

"Why don't you come with me then?"

She means because he's lived and worked in mountains all his life but as soon as it's out, she realises what she's said. As Kristoff scrambles for an answer, Anna turns to Elsa guiltily.

Elsa only smiles. "I'm going to pretend that what Anna said is, _I'd better stay here then_."

"That is exactly what she said," Kristoff says quickly.

"Oh, you two never let me have any fun."

"Given the question I _didn't_ hear you ask, I'm going to say, with good reason. So, Kristoff, where do you live when you're not in the city?"

As Kristoff answers – hesitantly at first but then with more confidence as he realises that Elsa has a sense of humour – Anna gives herself a sneaky pat on the back. She knew the ice could be broken. They just needed a reminder about how.

* * *

><p>Later, Anna says, "So?"<p>

"Hmm?"

"You … you like him, right?"

"I do. _He_ won't let you run wild." Elsa smiles. "And he's nice."

"I know."

"Of course, if he ever even thinks about hurting you, no place on Earth will keep him safe."

Anna eyes her for a few seconds and then, suddenly, hugs her, burying her nose into Elsa's shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For … for being my sister."

Hands lightly pat Anna's back. "Go to bed, Anna. Time for being sentimental later."

* * *

><p>The next few days are peaceful. Elsa finds things for Anna to do which involve being outside, meeting people. She wonders if that's because no one will trust her with paperwork but then Elsa puts Anna in charge of tracking ice export, on the basis that Kristoff is Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer and they are therefore in a perfect position to work that out. She's not exactly sure what she's supposed to be doing but at least the reports are less voluminous than they were for house-building.<p>

Following the meal with Kristoff, their meals move slowly from stilted to pleasant. They both talk about what they do during the day, agreeing silently that this is safe ground. In the second meal after Kristoff's, they talk about a memory from before Anna's accident but they know without needing to say it that this is too much; Elsa quickly switches the topic to food instead. After that, sometimes, they discuss problems in the kingdom or people in the castle. And when the tension is low enough, one of them will ask the other a question about themselves. What is Anna's favourite story? What did Elsa love to study when she was younger? How fast can Anna run? Does Elsa have a favourite outfit? One conversation ends with both of them trying to wriggle their ears and collapsing in a fit of giggles. It's nice. Even when Anna misjudges the question and asks a _can ask _instead of a _should ask_, they usually get the conversation back to safe ground quickly.

But even in the good conversations, there's something missing. Anna supposes that Elsa's as aware as she is of how little they know about each other but maybe she's humouring Anna's turn of conversation. After all, they never talk about the big things. Their opinion on their parents. What led Anna to believe a man could fall in love with her after a couple of hours. What Elsa sees in those moments when Anna catches her staring at Anna, her expression haunted and her arms crossed. The way Olaf favours Anna even though Elsa created him (for that matter, the creation of Olaf at all). The occasional outbursts of ice and snow from Elsa. Elsa's fear of other people; Anna's drive to be with _anyone_. What Hans said to Anna in the castle. What Hans said to Elsa on the frozen fjord. Why Anna was heading for Kristoff, not Elsa; why Elsa stopped fighting for her life.

And those letters.

Elsa told her that Anna could ask whatever she wanted and Elsa would answer. But Anna can't ask – not after that conversation – and Elsa won't answer unless forced to.

She thinks.

But then one week after Kristoff's visit, Elsa says, "I need to have a word with you. Would you mind accompanying me to my room?"

"Elsa?"

"It's … I think it's a conversation we don't want to have in public."

The dining room isn't _public_ but there are servants. No one, not even servants, is allowed into Elsa's room without express permission. She'd always found that confusing before she knew about Elsa's powers because she'd thought Elsa's issue was dirt and surely a servant would be _better_ at cleaning than Elsa. Anna asked once why Elsa still enforces the ban. Elsa was quiet for a few seconds before saying that her room is the only place she can still be herself.

Anna follows her sister and finds herself jabbering about something; she's not sure what. When they reach Elsa's room, Elsa pushes the door and holds it open for Anna. Stepping in, the room is dark, but Anna can feel wood underfoot. Behind her, Elsa lights a candle and then lights the torches on the wall. Now Anna can see a plain room with broken furniture. Lilac walls covered in damp marks and one old portrait that either portrays a noble-looking man or a black and red streak. A bed. A desk. A window. A chest of drawers with a rotten broken drawer. Two old armchairs, one of which looks as though the contents of the fjord might somehow navigate its way through its workings. A broken table. The only other personal adornments are books, which lie everywhere. Some are soggy. Suddenly, Anna is very sure that if Elsa ever loses control of her powers now, she does it in here.

She turns back to see Elsa with her arms crossed. Her face is emotionless but there's worry in her eyes.

"You ever think about putting a painting up? I mean, one where the paint hasn't run? Or a tapestry or a hanging or … or something? Give this room a more homely feel? I guess it already feels homely since it _is_ your home but it's so…"

"Broken," Elsa finishes. She shrugs and gestures for Anna to sit in the non-broken armchair. Anna does so as Elsa sits in the chair at the desk. "I thought about it. I used to put things up actually, when I was younger, but I kept destroying them by accident. The rug had a similar issue. So I stopped. I'd have taken the painting down too but it's about my size. Anything I want to look at is in that drawer over there. And the furniture's hard to explain away so I just make sure I dry as much of it as I can." Seeing Anna's expression, she says, "You get used to a room like this after a while."

Maybe so, Anna thinks, but being used to something unpleasant doesn't make it nice.

"Anyway," Elsa says softly, "there's something else I need to talk to you about. Anna, I don't want you to get upset – it won't affect you. Not immediately. And I want you to understand that I wouldn't be thinking about this if it weren't important."

"It's the letters, isn't it?" Anna blurts out. Elsa's face turns pale. "It's … those princes who want to court you."

"You saw the letters? Why didn't you say?"

"You're going to let them court you, aren't you?"

Elsa looks Anna in the eye but it looks as though it's an effort to do so. "Yes."

She can't imagine it. Elsa who will barely touch her own sister, marrying someone. Sharing her living space with him when she's spent most of her life on her own. Holding him. Talking with him. Bearing his children.

"Why?"

Elsa still hasn't broken eye contact. "Arendelle can't survive unless we ally with someone else. It's a miracle that Father kept the country going as long as he did. We rely heavily on trade but after what happened … we've made enemies of Weselton and the Southern Isles. What few crops we grew died. We're a small country with limited resources and we can't rely on our other trade agreements – we don't even have that many: lots of countries broke it off over time because it was so difficult to contact Father. Arendelle would have been fine for maybe ten more years but it would have begun to strain. Now … I accelerated that." She pauses. "To be honest, the only thing we have in our favour, right now, is that every other country we know of is terrified of us."

The words are bitter. Anna feels as though she's missed a step while climbing stairs. "Terrified?" she says even though that's not the first question she has.

Elsa holds a palm up and creates a lump of snow. "In less than five minutes, I created what could well have been an eternal winter and nearly killed an entire country, with plenty of people there to witness it. Right now, I'm the most dangerous ruler in the world. All it would take is for me to decide I want to conquer our neighbours. Never mind whether I could actually do it; they _think_ I could probably do it in less than an hour. They're scared of angering me too much."

She remembers the letter from the Southern Isles. It had been so apologetic that she'd half-thought the king there was being sarcastic. But … terror. He was terrified that Elsa would turn her wrath on the Southern Isles.

That's ridiculous. Elsa wouldn't hurt anyone.

_You said she'd never hurt you._

_I was wrong_.

She can't think of that.

"Couldn't you use that? If everyone's scared of you, couldn't you-"

Elsa's eyes flash. "I will _not_ rule Arendelle by fear. Anna, tell me this: if I were to start intimidating other countries, how long before I do it to people here? How long before someone calls my bluff and I have to fight? How long before other countries send soldiers to kill me, before I become too much of a danger? I will _not_ use my powers like that – not even the threat of them."

Guilt fills Anna. Elsa has spent thirteen years terrified of hurting anyone. Anna knows that. As soon as Elsa revealed her powers, people wanted to kill her. Anna knows that. And yet she still doesn't think about how Elsa feels about any of these things.

"I'm sorry, Elsa. That was stupid of me. Really stupid. Like, if there was a prize for stupidity and insensitivity and horribleness in one big go, they'd give it to me, right now."

Elsa is breathing hard but she manages to smile. "That's OK, Anna. I must admit, the same thought crossed my mind."

"But won't these princes think the same? That they could use your powers-" She realises how that must sound. "Not that you're not someone people don't want to marry because you are. Loads of people would. If I weren't your sister-"

"Anna!"

"Sorry." She pulls a face. "I think I need to think before I speak sometimes."

"If you did, you wouldn't be you." They smile at each other. Then Elsa sighs. "I see your point. I imagine many of the newer offers are made with controlling me as a goal. But…" She slumps. "I just don't see another option."

Something Hans said in that slowly darkening room slips into Anna's mind. "But if Arendelle's always been in trouble, were you going to marry? I … I heard that people made offers to you before but…" Something in Elsa's expression tells Anna what the answer is. She almost remains silent, to make Elsa say it, but she can't do it to her. "Me," she says. "You were going to arrange a marriage for me."

It's not a question but Elsa says, "Yes." Finally, finally, she breaks eye contact. "I'm sorry, Anna. It was … Mother tried finding a suitable husband for me when I was younger but they thought – I thought – it would be too dangerous. They were going to arrange one for you when you were about sixteen but then… well. After that, I was too busy with other things and I didn't want to start talking to you about it." She looks up. "But you have to believe that I would never, ever have forced you to do it. I'd have asked you to consider it. I'd have tried to persuade you. Maybe I would have ordered you to meet at least one suitor. But if you'd said no afterwards, that would have been the end of it."

"I believe you," Anna says but her mind is numb. Love isn't something you can force people into. You don't stick them together and say, _hey, you're a good pair_, _please procreate_. "Elsa, you can't do it."

"I have to. Anna, it's common for people of our rank. Father married Mother and that's why we have links to Corona. We need another alliance. Besides, the first prince arrives in two weeks."

"But do you _want_ to do it?"

Elsa is silent for so long that Anna thinks that this is the time she won't answer.

"No," she says, her voice so quiet that Anna could almost think she's imagining it. "But I am the Queen first and Elsa second."

Which is how Elsa has always thought, Anna realises. Elsa always, _always_ puts the needs of everyone else before her. If Anna hadn't run to the North Mountain or gotten Hans involved, Elsa would probably have hidden away from all human contact for the rest of her life.

Why is it that Anna knew that about Elsa yet forgot it until now?

"Elsa, is this because I asked to court Kristoff?" The words hurt to say but she has to know. "If you want, I'll mar-"

"_No_." Elsa is out of her chair, hands on Anna's shoulders, in an instant. The hands are cold but Anna doesn't say anything. "The only thing I would like _less_ than to court these princes is for you to be forced into something like that. I want you to be happy, Anna."

"It's not fair on you to always sacrifice yourself. Elsa, don't _you_ want to be happy?"

"I would be happy knowing you were happy."

"And you think I'd be happy knowing you're not?"

Elsa looks away and it makes Anna realise something.

"Elsa," she says softly, "have you _ever_ been happy?"

Elsa's hands still grip Anna's shoulders but less strongly. Suddenly, she lets go and a torch snuffs out as ice covers it. Elsa closes her eyes, breathing deeply.

"I would be happier doing this than you," she says softly, eyes still closed. "Marriages like these … love isn't a requirement. He may not even stay here. It would be for politics. And if we secured an heir, I suppose he'd have no real need to see me. I could live with that. You need love."

It sounds chilling but Anna makes herself say, "You didn't answer my question." Silence. "Elsa." More silence. "You said, Elsa." She can feel tears well up but she forces them down. "You said."

And maybe Elsa sees the tears that Anna refuses to shed because she turns to her sister, eyes now open, as though to hug her. But the darkness from the frozen torch stretches between them and Anna knows that Elsa doesn't trust herself to touch her.

Elsa's fists clench and she crosses them across herself as she bites her lip. Her eyes squeeze shut, like a small child, terrified of monsters in the cupboard. Then she opens them. "I have been happy before," she says. "When we were small, I don't remember a single day I was unhappy. Until."

Anna doesn't remember the day everything changed, only the aftermath. No one has ever told her precisely what happened. There was an accident. Elsa nearly killed her. And it all changed.

"And since then?"

"I was happy for the short time between making my ice castle and you finding me," she says and it hurts almost as much as the ice shard in her heart did. "Almost happy," she amends. "I was close to it. I was … I was free up there. Nothing to worry about. No limits." Her fists have unclenched now. "And after … seeing you alive, I was relieved. And happy. The day we turned the courtyard into an ice rink. I was happy. I've been closer to happy since the Great Thaw."

"That's it? Since you were eight, you can count exactly _three_ times you've been happy? Not even happy but _close_ to it?"

"Anna-"

"Being happy is more important than being in love, Elsa. You can be happy but never be in love. But I don't think you can ever experience love without being happy. Even if only for a second."

"Anna, do _not_ throw Kristoff away like this." Those eyes, usually so cold, almost _burn_. "Don't you see, Anna? You can have both. Love _and_ happiness. I told you, I would be far less happy if you were unhappy than if I was. Don't let us both be miserable."

Anna squeezes her eyes shut then. Her nails are painful as they dig into her palm.

"It … it just sucks, you know?"

"Father told me once that you know you're an adult when you realise that life's not the happy, easy place you always thought it was."

Anna bites her lip.

"You can cry, you know," Elsa says softly. "Sometimes … it helps."

That's another thing she can't talk about. So many topics she won't touch and so many things which hurt Elsa too much to voice. Is it any wonder they're still learning about each other? She breathes deeply until she's calm and opens her eyes. She almost makes herself smile but it would feel too much like a mockery.

"I don't want you to do this, Elsa."

"I have to."

Anna looks at her then. Elsa, so prim, so proper, so calm, so regal. Eyes burning, fists clenched, hair out of place. This is Elsa deciding to do what's best for Arendelle and what's best for Anna.

_Who are you, Elsa?_

This is Elsa being a queen. This is Elsa being Anna's sister and guardian.

This is Elsa ignoring Elsa.

She bites her lip again.

It hurts far more than ice rising into darkness.

Anna is beginning to understand Elsa and she's going to _lose_ her.


	3. The Asking

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Frozen_**

**A/n: **This site currently hates me. Suppose all I have to say is thanks for reading along, hope you're having, or had, a fabulous Monday, and I hope you enjoy!

3) The Asking

The first prince arrives two weeks later. At first, Anna comes up with plans to avert Elsa having to marry anyone. Luckily, Elsa manages to nip the more dangerous ones in the bud and, even though Anna is upset, for some reason, she eventually agrees to stop the plans. But she doesn't stop worrying about Elsa. Her conversations leap between angry, sad, determined, hopeful – often all within the space of ten minutes. Elsa almost feels weary trying to keep up with her. She expected Anna to take the news badly but not in this way.

At least she accepted that only one of them need be miserable. Probably. Just in case, she decides that the first week with any prince will be for Elsa and him alone, with his retinue being entertained by trusted nobles, just in case Anna is hiding a plan and will implement it immediately. She doesn't tell Anna this, of course. She simply says that she wants to get to know the prince away from the court.

In any event, the first prince is a failure. From the moment he arrives, Elsa can see that he is arrogant. She grits her teeth and talks to him and the first day passes … it passes.

On the second day, he suggests doing something in the evening. Elsa, who is already sick of him but determined not to cause a war, says she would love to but it would need to be after her evening meal with Anna. In response, he grows angry, even after she explains that due to circumstances, this is the only time of the day she has to spend with her sister and current heir.

"Will you always dine with her in the evening? Even when we're married?"

Elsa eyes him coolly and says, "I suppose you'll never find out. Since we won't be getting married."

Kai congratulates her afterwards. For a few nights, she worries that she actually has started a war. Then she receives a letter from the queen of his country, explaining that her son told her what happened and she would like to personally congratulate Elsa on bringing him down a peg or two.

_My husband wanted some kind of repercussion, of course. I reminded him that half of the reason we sent our son to Arendelle was to get him out of our hair. The only anger you have incurred here is that we need to find another way to make him grow up_.

Anna giggles when Elsa shows it to her.

"But you can skip the evening meal, if you need to." She fidgets. "I know how important this is. I mean … I don't like it but … I guess…"

It doesn't matter what Anna says. Elsa can see in her eyes how much this is hurting her.

"I'm _not_ skipping evening meals because of some man in a crown," she says. "Besides, you're the perfect get-out clause," she adds. "I was going to fake food poisoning to escape whatever activity he had planned for the night."

Anna giggles again and it makes Elsa smile. She likes making Anna laughs, likes the realisation that even after thirteen years, she can still do it. At first, it surprised her because she didn't think Anna would be a fan of dry wit. Now, she accepts it.

"What's the funniest joke anyone's ever told you?" she asks. By unspoken agreement, they now ask at least one question in every conversation.

"Did you hear about the martial artist who joined the army? Knocked himself out the first time he saluted."

"Really?"

"No, but it was the only one I could think of off the top of my head."

Since the prince is gone, Kristoff comes for dinner again and this time, he's more relaxed. Elsa is still silently amazed that _this_ is the man Anna likes. Not that there's anything wrong with him – he's just not the sort of person she would have thought Anna would like. So this time, she pays him more attention and realises that in a strange way, he _does_ fit with Anna. Both socially awkward in different ways. He's calm when she isn't and she's kind when he's sarcastic. Insightful in different ways, knowledgeable in different ways.

And the fact that she notices this makes her wonder if, finally, she knows Anna. But there are still things they haven't discussed, things she hasn't asked. She wonders if they ever will.

* * *

><p>The second prince is a calculating man and Elsa is sure that he is exactly the kind of prince that Anna worried about. The kind who views her as a tool to be used.<p>

He lasts longer than the last one, mainly because he shrugs when Elsa explains about eating dinner with her sister, and says, "It was only a thought. Perhaps I could eat lunch then, with both of you tomorrow."

Her first instinct is to say no but she can't think of a good enough reason she could give him for that. Besides, she's half hoping that Anna _does _have another plan. So he eats with them. Anna behaves during the meal but as soon as night falls, she knocks on Elsa's door for the sole purpose of telling Elsa that there is no way she can marry him.

"He's horrible. He's awful. He's … he's all slime and he barely even pretended to take an interest in you. Just your powers. I know I said I'd stop trying to stop you but he's-"

"Anna-"

"I swear, if you're about to say _anything_ that sounds like it might be even slightly in the realm of possibly marrying him, I'm going to set Olaf on him."

This is such a strange sentence that Elsa's sure she misheard. "You're going to do what?"

"People freak out when they see Olaf."

"That's true," Elsa concedes, "but I think he'd realise that Olaf's harmless within a few seconds. Given that Olaf greets _everyone_ with _Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs_." Seeing Anna's expression, she smiles and says, "I have no intention of marrying him. The benefits it would bring aren't good enough for me to want to be near him. Or be used like that."

"Good. Good." Anna fidgets. "He's not even that handsome."

"Hm."

"Wait, you didn't think-"

"No, no. Don't worry, Anna. Not my type. You have my word."

"Good." She pauses. "What _is _your type?"

"Huh?"

"You just said you have a type."

"No, I said he _isn't_ it."

"Which means there _is _one. C'mon,Elsa, what kind of guy d'you fantasise about?" Elsa stares at her and Anna seems to realise the inappropriate wording because she hastily says, "I mean, what kind of guys do you … you know, get feelings for?"

The problem with her promise is that Anna's questions range wildly from the mundane to Elsa's private thoughts and feelings. Elsa rarely asks the latter kind of question back but that's because she can still see a wariness in her sister. She initially thought it was a wariness of Elsa, and maybe part of it is, but she suspects it's mostly a wariness of cruel truths and baring her soul. She doesn't know exactly what Hans said to her before he ran onto the frozen fjord but she can guess. If that isn't enough to put someone off the truth, she doesn't know what is.

She promised Anna. No more secrets. No more closed doors.

"I don't know."

"What?"

Elsa doesn't look at Anna, can't look at Anna, because this is something she has never, ever, discussed with anyone. "I don't know, Anna. I … I don't even know if I'm attracted to men."

"Wait, what? Who else could you be attracted to?" She pauses. "I guess women then? Um, that's cool. I guess. You know, you gotta love who you love and if it's women then, yeah, you should go and love them. Yeah. Well, no. Unless you could arrange a marriage with a princess? Or maybe you could have an affair. Yeah, that's the answer. Do that. Uh, what kind of women do you like then?"

Elsa sneaks a glance. The discomfort on Anna's face fights with her desire to see Elsa happy. Suddenly Elsa feels unspeakably fond of her little sister.

"I don't know," she says again. "I don't know if I'm attracted to women either." Feeling the confusion return, she says, "I didn't feel." She has stopped looking at Anna again. She doesn't think telling the carpet this is any easier but she doesn't want to look at Anna just in case it turns out it is. "I mean, I tried not to feel. I thought. _We_ thought that was what I was supposed to do, to control my powers. I suppose it is, in a way, because the calmer I am, the easier it is to control them. But we took it too far. Now … I try to let myself feel whatever it is I'm feeling but it's hard not to repress it." She keeps staring at the carpet, half-hoping the fabric will soak up her words. She could invite Anna in but every time they end up in each other's rooms, they argue. Perhaps it's only happened twice but it has a 100% occurrence rate. "Mostly negative thoughts but others as well. Extreme happiness. Curiosity." She pauses. "Desire."

"Oh, Elsa." Those two words are filled with many of the emotions Elsa could never feel. But she still can't bring herself to look up.

"So I don't know. I don't know if I'm attracted to someone and repressing it or whether I genuinely don't feel desire for anyone." She manages to shift her gaze from the carpet to the wall behind Anna. "Sometimes I look at someone and I think they look nice but before I can think about it further, I find myself trying not to think about it. I don't even know what it's supposed to feel like." She shrugs, helplessly. "I just don't know."

"You'll find out," Anna says softly. "There's plenty of time."

"Time has nothing to do with it. I have to marry one of the princes." Now she manages to look up. "You see why it's better I do it than you. It doesn't matter if I marry someone I don't desire. I don't know what I'm missing. You do."

Anna shakes her head. She looks as though she doesn't know what to say. Elsa knows the feeling well.

But then she says, "I _hate_ our parents."

"Anna, what-"

"I used to think they were so great, you know? They were so nice and fair and funny and … and then I find out they made you feel _nothing_ for years and they hid the truth from me and isolated us and … and you wouldn't have to marry anyone if Father hadn't nearly destroyed the country by hiding. How could they do it? How could they act so _normal_ and do that to you?"

It feels as though her heart has stopped.

"Anna, they were our _parents_."

Anna's cheeks are red and she wears the expression that means she's fighting back tears. Elsa sees it more and more often these days. "So? That doesn't mean it's _right_. How's it _right_ to make you so numb that you don't even _want_ anything?"

"They were _trying_ to save us," Elsa hisses and the anger she feels surprises even her. She drags Anna into her room, argument rate be damned, because this is _definitely_ not a conversation for the corridor. "They didn't know what else to do. It was a mistake but that's it."

Anna opens her mouth to retort but then she pauses. "Elsa," she says, "do me a favour. Imagine everything happened the other way round."

"Huh?"

"Imagine I'm the one with powers and you're the normal one. And we're playing together when we're little and I hurt you."

"I was losing control before that," Elsa reminds her but, of course, it isn't a reminder because Anna doesn't know it.

"OK, fine. I have a couple of accidents and then I hurt you. We all go to the trolls – who, as an aside, are kinda crazy and _could_ give a straight answer like _do an act which shows you love someone_ instead of something weird like _love will thaw a frozen heart_ – who give one of their stupid cryptic answers. Mother and Father tell me not to speak to you or anyone. They make me stay in my room except for family dinners. They tell me not to feel anything, to the point that I don't want anything and I won't touch anyone and I'd rather spend my life alone on an icy mountain than with friends and family, where I'm not even happy, I'm just _close_ to happy but it's _still_ better than my life so far. They ruin the country trying to make sure no one ever needs to meet me in person and then they die and I have to deal with all of these problems." Anna looks at her. "How do you feel?"

Elsa closes her eyes as she imagines it. Anna locked away – not just in a castle but in one room. Anna unsmiling. Unfeeling. No rambling speeches or giggles or wild adventures. Icy, still. Someone she barely knows. A stranger.

"_Hi."_

_A jump. Surprise flashes across her face._

"_Hi, hi me?"_

"I'm angry," she says with surprise, opening her eyes again. "They hurt you."

A glimmer of triumph plays on Anna's face. "And you're saying I shouldn't hate them?"

"But they didn't mean it."

"That isn't an excuse. _You_ didn't mean to freeze Arendelle but that doesn't make what happened any better." Her eyes widen. "No, Elsa, I didn't mean-"

"No, you're right. What I did was unforgiveable. But there's a difference between nearly killing an entire country and trying to protect two little girls."

"And there's a difference between learning from what you did and fixing it, and making the problem worse."

"Anna, they died. That's hardly their fault."

"So what would've happened if they'd survived? 'Cause you know what I think? I think you'd have lost control in a much worse way and they wouldn't have saved you. Or you…" She bites her lip.

"I?"

"No."

"Anna, say it. What would I have done?"

"You'd have snapped maybe and killed people." She hesitates and then says, softly, "Or more likely yourself."

This is Anna. Anna who is cheerful, Anna who is silly, Anna who people don't take seriously. Anna whose favourite colour is green, who likes warm seasons, who climbed up a snowy mountain in a dress to save her. Anna who can't concentrate while reading a few reports but can look at a letter and suggest an option agreement without ever hearing of it before. Anna who started a conversation asking a normal question and is ending it discussing Elsa's potential to commit either murder or suicide. Anna, her innocent little sister. Anna, who isn't so innocent anymore.

"They loved us, Anna."

"I know," Anna says. "But I still hate them."

* * *

><p>Anna regrets starting that conversation but even now, with the next prince arriving, she doesn't regret what she said. The more she thinks about it, the angrier she feels. It surprises her because, before Hans, she didn't think she hated anyone. Now, the list has tripled in size in just a couple of months. So, she regrets starting that conversation but she's angrier with her parents because if it weren't for them, she wouldn't have had to regret it. A question about the kind of person Elsa fancies would have been commonplace.<p>

She does more inspections around Arendelle, taking the weight off Elsa's shoulders as she talks to the prince. It's as much for her as it is for Elsa. She'd tried – she'd _tried_, damn it – to save Elsa. She'd tried speaking to ministers, researching the law, locating eligible bachelors in Arendelle. Elsa had stopped most of them before they could get too far and Anna eventually agreed to let it go. Not because she wanted to but because Elsa knows more about this than she does and maybe she can persuade Elsa away from it later. Besides, most people hadn't taken her seriously. No one ever takes her seriously.

Kristoff accompanies her on these inspections and she's a little taken aback by how happy people are to see them. Kristoff is also startled and she can see that he's overwhelmed. He isn't used to people. When they come to speak to him, he answers carefully and it's sad because he doesn't sound like himself.

She doesn't ask him if he's regretting becoming involved with a princess but he says, "Whew. One day, I'm going to take you ice cutting and then _you_ can be the one out of your depth."

"Ice cutting? Really? When can we go?"

"When will I ever learn?"

But he's smiling and he kisses her on her cheek before heading towards the mountains to do some of his work and she knows he's fine. If only Elsa were this easy to understand.

The next few days are similar. However, on the day that Elsa is due to introduce the prince's retinue to the court, she sees the prince's ships leave the harbour and a note is pinned to her door telling her dinner will be a private affair again.

That evening, she says, "Didn't work out, huh?"

Elsa raises her hands. "I know you say I need to take some time out from being queen but he wanted _constant_ attention. He got mad and left when I asked if I could please have some time to meet with the ministers. Or even just the one who's spent the last day trying to speak to me. That one was just about ready to find out where my bedroom is so that he could get hold of me."

"You should've let him. Then the prince would have gotten the message."

"Thank you, Anna. When I want men knocking down my doors, I'll let you know."

Elsa smiles and Anna smiles and it feels almost … well, not like normal because they've never been normal, but like she imagines normal would feel. They've kept the serious conversations to a minimum, partly because Anna is trying not to ask too many questions. Normal, innocent queries can reveal all sorts of things and she doesn't want to face them yet.

Besides, she's starting to wonder whether she should implement the same thing Elsa has – let Elsa ask _her_ anything. Somehow, she doubts Elsa would use it. Elsa seems to know better than Anna which questions are innocent and which are loaded.

* * *

><p>The next prince is the first one Elsa doesn't seem to have cause to complain about, although to be fair to Elsa, it wasn't her who sent the last one away.<p>

"Think he could be the one?" Anna asks. It's a dangerous topic, she knows, but they've been laughing and joking and it doesn't _feel_ like a conversation stopper.

It isn't. "We've known each other for four days," Elsa says. "I'm not about to declare us soul mates."

_You can't marry a man you just met._

_You can if it's true love._

_Oh, Anna. If only there was someone out there who loved you_.

"Four days is longer than the others," Anna says, too brightly, pushing down cold rooms and lips that are close but not quite. "You're basically married."

"By that logic, I should be pregnant by about next week."

"That's a poss-"

"Shut up and eat your vegetables," Elsa says and Anna laughs, this time not too brightly.

In any event, she, along with the rest of the court, is introduced to Prince David and his retinue two days later. He's taller than Elsa but not by much, with pale skin and dark hair, including a moustache. His build is slight. His eyes are brown and there's something strangely familiar about them. He speaks with a strange accent, words sounded out carefully, as though afraid to get even one syllable wrong. Otherwise, he seems like a stoic, quiet man. She doesn't speak to him much and really, she thinks the only reason he's lasted so long is because he's too quiet to be irritating in the same ways as the others.

From Elsa, she knows that his kingdom – Burakoem – isn't the strongest alliance but they could offer some much needed food and materials. Their soldiers are also known for their ferocity, although Anna doesn't see that in David.

_But you – you were so desperate for love that you were willing to marry me just like _that_._

But then, Anna is no judge of character.

That night, Olaf charges into her room and tugs at her hand until she wakes up, snorting hair out of her face and saying, "'m awake, 'm awake." She blinks sleepily. "Olaf, what? It's like … 's like … early."

"Come on, Anna. The sky's awake and there's a strange man near the library," Olaf says and Anna sits up immediately.

"Show me," she says and follows Olaf as he waddles. Olaf chatters about how he found the man but she manages to quieten him as they reach the library. True to Olaf's word, there is a man, walking towards it.

"Prince David?"

The man jumps and turns. "P-princess Anna." He bows before looking away. At first she thinks he's acting guilty until she realises that she's in her nightdress.

"Hi," Olaf says. "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs."

To his credit, Prince David does not jump this time. He looks at Olaf and then says, "Princess Anna, I'm sure you know this but you've got a talking snowman under a small snowstorm next to you."

"Isn't it amazing?" Olaf twirls underneath his snowstorm. "Elsa made it so I wouldn't melt!"

Prince David coughs. "I see. And, uh, you like warm hugs. Is that the proper way to greet you then … Olaf, was it? In my country, see, none of our snowmen talk so I'm not sure what the, ah, the protocol is."

Anna takes pity. "You don't have to hug him. He _likes_ being hugged but there's no protocol except, you know, be careful with fire and don't kick his head."

"Right. Got it." He looks down at Olaf. "Um, are there more of you then?"

"Just Marshmallow but he likes to stay in the North Mountain. Elsa asked him if he wanted to come here but he said no."

Anna blinks. She had almost forgotten Marshmallow. When did Elsa visit him? How does Olaf know about it? Why didn't Elsa tell Anna?

"OK." Prince David looks at Anna then away. "I'm sorry, Princess. I must look like I'm up to no good. I assume someone told you I was here."

"I did!"

He jumps again. "I'm afraid I couldn't sleep. Queen Elsa mentioned the library and said I could look when I wanted to, see. I heard Arendelle songs are quite something so I wanted to see if there were any written down."

"Songs?" Anna's not sure if he's lying. It's so strange that it can't be the truth. "Why didn't you just ask?"

"I probably would've done eventually but since I couldn't sleep…" He shrugs. "I know it sounds odd. Reason I wanted to see it is because in my country, music's important, see. Our bards are some of the most important men in the land. We always look for new music."

"I … see. The library's locked though."

He smiles faintly. "Good thing you found me before I tried opening the door then."

He looks uncomfortable and can't stop glancing at Olaf.

"Why are you here?" she blurts out.

He jumps _again_. Strange. She'd thought him a stoic man earlier but he's actually quite twitchy. Or maybe she's too used to ice magic by now.

"Um, the songs, Princess-"

"No, I mean _here_. In Arendelle."

"Oh." He fidgets and now she's sure of it. He's not stoic. He's nervous and his quiet comes from that. "Um, to court Queen Elsa. I'm sorry, Princess, I thought you knew."

"Courting?" Olaf sounds excited although he also knows why the princes have been coming. "You're going to marry Elsa? Oh, that's amazing. It'll be so nice."

The prince's eyes widen and they're still familiar. "I _might_ marry Queen Elsa," he says to Olaf.

"Don't you want to marry her?"

He looks away from both Olaf and Anna and this time, it's not because of her nightdress. "I think that's something we'll decide eventually." He coughs again. "Maybe I should return to my room. I'm sorry, Princess Anna. I shouldn't walk around like this." He bows again to her and then drops to one knee, facing Olaf. "Mind, I'd hate for the report to Queen Elsa to say that I acted completely horribly, so, Olaf, would you like a hug? It rains a lot where I'm from so I can't promise warm but-"

Olaf charges into him and wraps twig arms around the man's slight frame. He chuckles and while Anna can't comment on the temperature of the hug, the chuckle is warm.

"You know," she says as he straightens, "maybe let's not tell Elsa about this."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh, she kinda wants the whole courting thing to work out. I mean, I dunno if she wants it with you – though you're nice but she's … Elsa so it's hard to say, but, uh, I think Olaf and I will get in trouble as well. For, you know, scaring you. Not _scaring_, maybe startling … wait, what?"

Prince David smiles. "Tell Queen Elsa I was lost if you want," he says. "If she asks what you said to me, I'll tell her we talked about rain."

"Rain?"

There's a sparkle in those familiar eyes. "In my country," he says, "it rains a _lot_, see. I'm sure, if pressed, I could talk about it for a long time." He pauses. "Um, without wanting to add to the lie, actually, could you tell me where my room is?"

"I'll show you!"

Prince David nods. "Thank you, Olaf. Goodnight, Princess."

She curtseys, realising it's the first time she's done so. "Goodnight, Prince David."

As they walk off one way, she finds herself thinking that there is a lot to be said for a royal prince who would hug a talking snowman.

She's been wrong before though.

* * *

><p>Elsa is flushed with relief at signing a trade agreement when she rounds the corner, straight into Anna, Kristoff and Prince David. The terms weren't as draconian as she feared, although she knows that at least part of that has to be her reputation. Nevertheless, she manages to wipe the smile off her face and curtsey to the prince, who bows.<p>

Anna simply looks at them with exasperation.

"You know," she says, "if you two get married, you're gonna have to stop bowing and curtseying to each at some point."

The prince looks uncomfortable while Elsa mentally catalogues the myriad ways she could enact revenge on Anna. She supposes she is too old, and her position too dignified, to put something squishy in Anna's bed.

Then something occurs to her. Anna can be tactless but she tends to think before making a comment like that around someone Elsa needs to impress – unless she's comfortable with the other person. Anna mentioned that she ran into Prince David a couple of nights ago but she didn't think that was enough to spark any kind of friendship. She hadn't thought Anna thought much of the foreign royal.

And how on earth did she, Kristoff and the prince end up in the castle together?

"I think we have to show each other some respect right now," the prince says in his quiet, lilting voice.

"You don't bow to me!"

His cheeks tinge red. "Um, that's because you told me not to, Princess Anna. You told me you hated how everyone bows and scrapes around you so could I please not do it. And Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer Kristoff said no one ever bows to him so could I not start?"

Which sounds exactly like something Anna would say. She only gets mad about her royal status if someone intentionally disrespects it.

"It's fine," Elsa says hurriedly. "Your highness, do whatever makes you comfortable. Please, you're our guest here."

"You're gonna have to call each other by name too."

"Anna, are you _trying_ to start a war?" Kristoff realises who he's talking to. "Not that I think you two will start a war but-"

"It's fine, Kristoff," Elsa says. "You two are clearly made for each other." As they both blush, she asks, "How was the children's day?"

Anna's face lights up. "It was great. The decorations were amazing and the kids were so cute. Lots of bakake and music and dancing. You should've come, Elsa. They said they wanted to see you."

She isn't too sure about that. She may have opened the gates but she isn't the most people-oriented of rulers even if she does sometimes throw impromptu snow parties. She would have liked to attend the children's day but the trade agreement was more important and, besides, she knew Anna would serve well as the royal representative. Especially as Anna doesn't view that as work.

"I'm afraid I had to attend to something else. And, your highness…" She catches Anna's look. "Uh, Prince David. I assume that's where you ran into my sister?"

She'd told him she needed to work all day. He'd taken it in his quiet, sanguine way – he didn't expect her to entertain him constantly, he said, and he was sure he could think of something to do today. That already puts him ahead of the first and third prince.

He nods. "I thought I'd have a look, see, and that's where she found me and some of my courtiers. Her and Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliver Kristoff. They showed us around the city." He smiles. "My people wanted to have a drink but I was tired. I'm afraid that I followed Princess Anna and Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer Kristoff back, a bit like a lost sheep, see."

Elsa blinks. "Um, maybe my sister has a point. I can see the value in us referring to each other by title but I don't think anyone's expecting you to refer to Kristoff by title every time you say his name."

Kristoff looks at her. "What if I want people to?"

"Hush, you," she says. Anna laughs and she's glad that she likes Kristoff, glad that she can make these jokes and Anna won't be offended.

The prince smiles. "Thank you. I was starting to think of ways to avoid Kristoff's company just to avoid having to say that. Not that I dislike you, Kristoff." He turns to Elsa. "I'm David, then."

"Elsa." She tries to think of what to say now. "You said you'd like to hear some Arendelle songs. Perhaps, after dinner, I could show you our song books, for your interest?"

He agrees. She eats dinner with Anna, who is still happily chattering about the children's day. It's enjoyable and Elsa laughs at the right places and asks questions at the right places. However, as they finish their food, Anna looks thoughtful.

"Say, sis." Elsa looks up. "Um … say you _do_ marry and you have children. Who's heir?"

Anna has avoided asking questions for a while. She makes this one sound like she's only just thought of it but Elsa has the feeling it's something she's been thinking of for some time. Or, at least, for some of today.

She coughs. "I … well, to be honest, I'm not even sure I _can _have children." Anna's eyes widen so Elsa carries on quickly, not wanting to open this wound as well. "Nothing I've read about my powers suggests that people with powers can do it. Of course, most of the stories have them die before they can get around to it…" She pushes that thought away. "But if I'm wrong and I _do _have a child I intended to name him or her as heir, in accordance with Arendelle's succession law." She makes herself meet Anna's eye. "I've never thought that you want to be a queen. But … I mean, you _are_ the current heir so if you want to object, please-"

"I don't." Anna shakes her head and Elsa is glad that she's not questioning whether Elsa can have children. "I would do it if I had to but I'm not raised to it. And…" She shrugs. "I dunno. It was just a conversation I had with David."

"Oh?" David doesn't strike Elsa as the kind of man who would discuss succession law with Anna. He looks uncomfortable enough about courting Elsa. Which is one of the reasons she's finding herself warming to him.

Anna catches the confusion. "I asked about his family. He said he's third in line. So I asked whether he'd be happy being a king here."

"Of course you did." Elsa sighs. "Anna-"

"Sorry! It slipped out before I knew what I said."

"Strangely, that doesn't surprise me."

What does surprise Elsa is the crinkle of happiness that creeps into Anna's eyes at that. "Yeah, well, anyway, he kinda looked uncomfortable – I mean, like, more than normal – and he said he would work hard but he wouldn't pretend being responsible for that many people didn't worry him."

There's something else. Anna and David talked about something else. She nearly asks but if Anna hasn't said it, she doesn't want to discuss it. Asking won't do anything but suggest Elsa doesn't trust Anna. All she can do is hope that Anna didn't say too much. Or, at least, too much about something relevant.

"That worries you?" she says instead.

"I guess. Or maybe I'm just happy as I am. So, yeah, if you have children, give me the word and I'll step aside." She smiles. "Besides, can you imagine _Kristoff_ being a king? I think between us, we'd end all your diplomatic relations."

The idea that Anna might marry Kristoff is strange. She doesn't know if Anna's even realised what she's just said.

"I suppose by then, I'd be dead, so I wouldn't have to worry."

Anna's smile slips. "Don't say that."

"I was jo-"

"Don't, Elsa."

She takes a breath. "I'm sorry, Anna." She glances down the hallway. "I had better show David these songs."

Anna nods but as Elsa reaches the door, she says, "He seems nice but … I don't understand why he's here."

"To court me."

"But he doesn't want to be a king."

"Presumably for the good of his country then."

Anna looks thoughtful but when she says nothing else, Elsa slips from the room, and marches towards the library. She's surprised to find she's looking forward to it – David is a shy man with an otherwise easy-going approach to life. He doesn't prod about what happened before the Great Thaw or about her powers or about how things would be if they married. He just talks to her.

He is the third son in a small but proud nation of warriors, situated near the Southern Isles. That he doesn't want to be king doesn't especially surprise her but nor does it worry her – better, she thinks, to have someone who doesn't want to snatch power from her than someone constantly plotting. His nation would be useful allies if not the strongest.

And truth be told, she needs to sort this out soon. She can keep the country going for a while, especially with her success in trade, but the support another country could lend is necessary. It's either that now or that later and raised taxes, job losses and starvation in Arendelle in the meantime.

* * *

><p>She continues to spend time with David. He appreciates that she is often busy and comes for no more than an hour during the day and the occasional meeting with her court. The more they get to know each other, the chattier he is. He has a surprising silly streak, hidden behind a serious demeanour, and he's happy to spend time reading. He likes to explore. He doesn't like fighting but does like dancing. On one day, he sings to her in his native language, his voice pure and strong. She doesn't tell Anna about that because Anna would probably giggle and she wants the moment for herself.<p>

She tries to make a similar list about Anna. There are few foods Anna dislikes but she especially loves sweet things. She used to like sandwiches but, for some reason, she's gone off them. She tends to speak at speed when she's nervous or simply not thinking. She's clumsy. She feels everything strongly. Her favourite colour is green, her favourite season is summer and her favourite number is twenty-nine. She's smart but silly. She doesn't lie but she does avoid topics. She doesn't ever seem to cry – she bites her lips instead. She would put herself in Elsa's place if Elsa hadn't forbidden her. Despite everything, she still believes in the innate goodness of people. Except their parents. Anna hates their parents.

It's a lot. Elsa could probably think of more things – things Anna has told her and things Elsa has noticed. And yet she can still feel the gaps.

On the last night of David's visit, they sit in the library. He is to return, both to speak to his family and to discuss the terms of any alliance as a result of marriage. She's actually sorry to see him go. She knows Anna and Olaf both like him. But although she's sitting up into the night to talk to him, she's not comfortable with him. Not comfortable in the way she is with Anna, which is still not as comfortable as she is on her own.

He's not comfortable with her either, and, somehow, that makes it better.

She is telling a story about Anna breaking her arm when they were younger when he says, "If you don't mind me asking, Elsa, why do you eat dinner with Anna every night?" As she frowns, he says, "I don't mean that to say you shouldn't, mind, and I haven't been here long but I've seen you sacrifice all sorts of things and you've never missed dinner with her, except when it's a royal dinner for us. Even then, she always sits next to you."

She's about to tell him that it's tradition but hears herself say, "To reconcile with her."

He is quiet for a minute. She think he's going to ask but, instead, he says, "She adores you."

She closes her eyes. "I know. She's always loved me. Even when I didn't deserve it."

"I don't know enough to comment about what happened between you two but no one deserves not to be loved."

She considers him and then says, "Anna told me you don't want to be a ruler. Why did you come?"

The uncomfortable expression appears. "To seek an alliance," he says quietly. "We need the protection you can give us."

"I won't fight. I won't be used like that."

"I know. Our ambassador said you didn't seem like the kind of person who would use your powers like that. I _said_ you wouldn't but my father sent me but…" He looks away. "He's desperate," he says quietly, looking up to meet her eyes. "He's hoping the mere threat of you is enough. Alone, we're a small nation, see. They say we're a nation of warriors but the truth is, we're a nation of defenders. The sickness last year's crippled us, and other countries are taking advantage. There's only so far we can defend ourselves. But with a link like marriage with you, it changes. They'll think twice about attacking us." He pauses. "It's the first time we've ever tried marrying outside Burakoem."

He looks miserable.

"Not power, then?" He shakes his head. She should be angry, she thinks, that they want her only for the threat she poses, but she isn't. "It's funny," she says instead. "Prince Hans, from the Southern Isles … he tried to kill my sister and I, for a throne. He wanted power. But my sister doesn't want to be a queen – in fact, I think she's appalled at what I have to do as a ruler. You don't want to be a king. Sometimes … sometimes, I wish I wasn't the Queen. Sometimes, I wish Hans had just said upfront what he wanted so that I could have handed it to him."

David moves over to sit next to her. "Do you know," he says, "your sister said almost exactly the same thing to me?"

"She did?"

"I think you two are more similar than you realise."

She smiles at that. "You really think so?"

He nods. "But I don't think you should abdicate, mind. I think someone who _wants_ power would ruin Arendelle or Burakoem or any other country. You and Anna understand it, see. And I think if you left, you'd always hate yourself for it. You care for Arendelle. You couldn't abandon it."

She looks at him, sitting in his chair, thoughtful look on his face. "We're a fine pair," she says. "You may as well know, since you were so honest with me: I'm only looking to marry to save Arendelle from starvation."

"But you don't know if you want to marry me to do that."

"It's only been a month."

"But I think we both know we need to decide soon."

"I know." She pauses. "I'm sorry. I don't want to rush into something. I know I have to but…"

He hesitates and then says, "Love isn't a requirement for marriages like ours. Just for everyone else's." He looks away. "I wish someone had told Prince Hans that."

"David?"

He looks back at her. "People talk, Elsa. Everyone knows that you froze Arendelle when he seduced your sister. He offered her love and used it to try to kill you. All for a throne. I don't know about what happened before but if I were Anna, I think I would've been tempted to agree to Hans as well. A noble marriage founded on love? It sounds wonderful. And Hans used it and now … you're here."

"David, I don't understand. Hans did something despicable but I don't understand why you're upset about me?"

"Because you're being forced into something you don't want to do. And because…"

"You're being forced with me."

He manages to smile. "Maybe being forced."

"Maybe."

"At least we know it, mind."

"We do."

As they look at each other, he moves towards her. Heart thumping, she leans forwards as well and their lips softly meet.

After a few seconds, they break apart.

He smiles a familiar smile. "I'll visit again in a few weeks and we can decide. I'll … I'd say yes."

"Because you need it," she says softly and maybe he's right and she is like Anna because she recognises her sister's hiding smile on his face and she knows that their feelings match.

"Because we're both being forced." He stands up, still smiling that smile she hates so much. "At least we know we could stand each other's company for a month."

* * *

><p>She gently pushes the library door open. Elsa sits in the dark, sobbing, as snow falls and ice coats chairs.<p>

Anna is immediately there, holding her. "Are you OK? Dumb question, obviously you're not OK, not if you're crying but…"

Elsa looks at her, eyes red, and says, "I'm sorry."

"What's wrong?" Anna asks gently. "Is it … David?"

Elsa nods. "I'm going to marry him." Her voice is hoarse.

"You are?"

"He'll return in a few weeks but unless we argue or the terms of alliance between us and Burakoem change…"

She sniffs again and Anna knows that this is not a time to ask questions.


	4. The Answering

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Frozen_**

**Review reply to** _Frozenmyheart_: Thanks for the review. Afraid there is nothing else I can say except read on and find out...

**A/n: **And here is chapter 4. This one was by far the most troublesome and probably the most heavily edited of the five. The final chapter will either be up tomorrow or Thursday. Probably tomorrow as my chance of getting out of work on time to play badminton instead is very low (unless anyone here happens to be a UK Pensions law genius?). In the meantime, I hope you enjoy!

4) The Answering

They say farewell to David the following day. If Anna didn't know better, she could look at Elsa as she curtsies and murmurs her goodbye, and think there's nothing wrong. The prince bows deeply. He looks at Elsa with his usual eyes; when she looks at Elsa, she's startled to see that she watches him with the same eyes. Sad eyes.

When he leaves, Elsa throws herself into meetings. Anna doesn't question it. She doesn't know if Elsa has always been like this, or whether opening the doors after thirteen years has released a pent of energy, but Elsa strikes her as the type of person who needs to be busy when she's upset.

However, that leaves Anna with nothing to do but think and worry. She has already written a short report on the reaction of the people of Arendelle to the possibility of Elsa marrying David – or any other prince – and it is mostly neutral to positive. Similar to their feelings about Elsa. There is an undercurrent of grumbling that Elsa caused the food problems, that she is cold and unfeeling, that she could freeze Arendelle again; but many people genuinely appreciate the effort Elsa is putting in to remedy things and the time she takes to meet with them. Anna wishes people could see Elsa when she slumps over a drink of stimulant to write just one more report, or hear the resignation in her voice when she says she needs to marry. Then they would know how lucky they are to have Elsa, and not someone like Hans, as their ruler.

In the end, she spends her day with Kristoff, acting even more cheerfully than usual. It doesn't cheer her up the way it normally does and maybe she's quieter than usual because Kristoff actually asks if she's OK. When she says she is, he doesn't prod but she can tell from his expression that he doesn't believe her.

In the evening, Anna does not mention David. She does not mention the library. She does not mention thirteen years of isolation or their parents. And she certainly does not ask any questions. She thinks she talks about the winter festival, filling in silences wherever she can. But then, as Anna walks with Elsa to her room (as has become tradition whenever Elsa has no pressing meeting or work to be done), Elsa talks. She tells Anna about a question she answered, about marriages of love, about a soft kiss and a sad realisation. She speaks in a tone that's broken but not quite. She falls silent when they reach her room.

Anna glances around before guiding Elsa into the room and closing the door behind them. This isn't a conversation for servants' ears.

"I'm sorry," Elsa says, sitting at her desk. "I shouldn't have-"

"You should do whatever makes you happy," says Anna firmly. She lights the torches, walks to the non-broken armchair and tries to make sense of everything Elsa has said. Her first thought is to say that if Elsa doesn't want to marry David then she shouldn't but Elsa will only repeat her old arguments. So, instead, she says, "Would it be so bad? You like him."

"I barely know him. It's only been a month."

"I knew Kristoff for less time," she points out although she had the opportunity to discover how far Kristoff could be trusted whereas Elsa hasn't. And she has no intention of marrying Kristoff yet.

Elsa doesn't point that out. "It might not be bad," she admits. "If he is like he's been for the last few weeks then he's nice. Kind. Funny. I could work with someone like that." A pause. "Maybe I could live with someone like that." She looks at her hands. "But I want to be like Mother and Father – I want to _love_ the person I'm with."

_What do you know of true love, Anna?_

"There's more than one kind of love."

_Some people are worth melting for_.

"I know. But." She closes her eyes. "That was my first kiss and … shouldn't it have _done_ something?"

"Maybe you were nervous."

"I was."

"Well … there you go."

Elsa sighs. "What if that wasn't it though? I don't … I don't think he felt anything either." She slumps forwards. "I'm being selfish. We need this. Love isn't a requirement in our marriages."

"Can't you love him but not want to touch him?"

"Isn't that unfair on him? It … oh, Anna, what if he does fall in love with me and wants more than just being with me and I remain … frozen? Or what if neither of us wants it and we're miserable? Just going through the motions?" She breathes deeply and Anna hates it when she does that because it means she's about to say something that hides how much she hurts. "It'll be fine. Gerda once told me that all I need to do is lie on my back and think about something else."

"Well, that sounds like stupid advice. Almost as though you wouldn't enjoy it." She hesitates. "Maybe you shouldn't worry yet. You said yourself, you were nervous and you've only known him for a month. Maybe you'll look at him one day and wanna snog him senseless. And if that doesn't happen … he doesn't seem like the kind of man who'd force you to do anything. If he even could. It might be unfair on him but at least you both know what you're marrying for." She bites her lip. "I'm sorry, Elsa. That's so stupid. Telling you that you'll be miserable but at least you knew you were going to be."

Elsa doesn't say anything, only looks out of the window across the room.

"Or you could see if the next prince is any better?"

Which doesn't help either. Anna doesn't know what to say. Anna always has something to say but now she has … nothing. For the second time in barely any time at all.

Elsa stands up and walks over to the window and Anna still doesn't know what to say. There's nothing she can do. Nothing she can help with. Everything's going wrong and she can't stop it.

No. There has to be something. Something that will spring to her aid. A snowy cabin that sells climbing gear. An experienced mountaineer with a sled. The power of love. There's always something that happens and makes it possible.

There's always something. They just have to wait for it.

There just has to be something. Because if there isn't then Hans has won.

There just has to be _something_.

* * *

><p>David's words turn over in her head.<p>

_You two are more similar than you realise_.

Once, she would have said that that isn't true. They are as different as different can be. Anna is words whereas Elsa is silence. Anna is impulse while Elsa is thought. Anna is feeling; Elsa is the lack thereof. Except Elsa's the one who cries whereas Anna never does. Elsa doesn't talk but says intimate things while Anna talks constantly but rarely says anything too painful about herself. Elsa has decided to marry a man after knowing him for four weeks whereas Anna has made no more than the idle, unthought-out comment in relation to marrying Kristoff.

They laugh at the same things. They'd do anything for each other. They're both haunted by memories they won't tell the other about. Maybe there's more to the contradictions. Maybe Anna only avoids topics because Elsa lets her. Maybe Anna doesn't cry because she knows Elsa depends on her strength.

If she is similar to Anna, it's probably only in the bad things. But Anna has many wonderful qualities. She's funny. She's likeable. She's smart. She has a way of convincing people to follow her. And she knows exactly what she wants and feels. So in the days leading up to David's next visit, she attends to her duties with as much serenity as she can manage but beneath her mask, she tries to emulate more of Anna. She allows herself to feel angrier or happier. She tries to laugh more. She tries to look at people and not repress anything.

In the meantime, Anna asks her questions and they probe at the small things in the missing thirteen years. What did she do in her spare time? Did she talk to their mother or father more? What was her favourite story? How did she get on with the regent? Was she scared, that first day? One day, Anna asks something about their parents. Elsa hears herself say, "I'm sorry I didn't come to the funeral."

Anna only shrugs. "You would've come if you could. I understand that now."

It occurs to her that this Anna isn't the same Anna in the missing thirteen years. They form a large part of her but they're not all of her. And maybe some of this new part comes from Elsa. Maybe that's what David meant.

It's enough of a realisation for her to say, "Have you cried since they died?"

Anna freezes because Elsa never asks these questions. Elsa wonders if she is going to refuse to answer and maybe that's her initial reaction but as she opens her mouth, she looks at Elsa then closes it.

"No." Her fingers tuck a lock of hair that used to be platinum-blonde behind her ear. "I think we both had our own method of coping with how we grew up. You repressed and I-"

"Repressed," Elsa finishes, understanding, finally. "You _make_ yourself smile and laugh."

That painful smile is back. "It seemed better than moping, you know? Not that you moped, 'cause you didn't, not really, you were always busy but … I can't be like that. I can't cry. I won't."

This time, it is Anna who feigns tiredness and Elsa who lets her go.

* * *

><p>When David arrives, he sees her and smiles. She smiles back. She doesn't know what she feels overall but she <em>is<em> pleased to see him. This time, he has brought gifts, claiming that a good suitor would actually bring something and she can't help giggling at the thought that two people in their situation need small trinkets to seal the deal. He has brought Anna some cakes from Burakoem, and Olaf, a very small scarf. To everyone's surprise, he brings Kristoff a small, carved sled.

He presents Elsa with a wooden spoon. The handle is made of carved patterns.

"It's a traditional gift to someone you're courting, see. The handle symbolises what you want for the relationship." Then very quietly, he adds, "We think spoons are better than kisses, see. You can brain someone with a spoon if you need to."

She raises an eyebrow. "You envision a violent relationship?"

"You haven't met many Burakoemin women."

She catches Anna's eye as she laughs and accepts the spoon. Her gloved fingers trace over the symbols. A lock. A horseshoe. A cross.

They decide to get the paperwork out of the way first. He and his foreign advisor tell her which parts of the betrothal agreement would and wouldn't be acceptable to Burakoem. She tells them which parts Arendelle needs and what they must refuse. The negotiation, that first day, lasts so long that the only reason she makes it to dinner is because David remembers. Even then, she eats quickly and is back negotiating within an hour, with Anna's blessing.

They hammer out most of the details but agree to leave the rest of it for another time, partly because both of their ministers are drooping with exhaustion. David looks tired as well. Elsa's stimulant is running out and she knows the crazed energy she feels is about to drop sharply.

She walks David to his room. All of her meetings alone with him are improper but the good thing about being the queen is that there are very few people who can chastise her. Besides, there are enough palace guards to testify that they never enter each other's rooms. Outside his room, their conversation, already awkward enough, pauses. She still has the spoon – she accidentally took it to the negotiation with her – and now she studies it.

"What do the symbols mean?"

He touches the lock. "Security." The horseshoe. "Luck." The cross. "Faith."

What David wants in their relationship. Security. Luck. Faith.

His fingers linger on the cross. Carefully, she puts her own finger on top of his.

"It might work," he says quietly, looking at their touching fingers. "Plenty of noble couples barely see each other. Or we could be friends, at least. And if not, I can swim _very_ fast."

"I can freeze water."

"You don't need to anymore. You have the spoon."

She can't help it. She begins to laugh. He grins and bows before disappearing into his room. She looks at the cross for a short while longer before turning and heading to her own room.

* * *

><p>She watches them around each other. They have a few of their own jokes. They seem able to talk for hours. They both like to study and read, although David thinks Elsa is a philistine for her apathy towards music while Elsa doesn't understand (she can't understand this about Anna either) why David detests maths. In some ways they fit and in other ways, they don't. David is almost relaxed when he talks to her but there's that twitchiness and if you catch him at the right moment, his eyes are Elsa's eyes. Elsa is less rigid near him; she smiles a lot too and she thinks most of it is genuine. But when they eat dinner together, she can see the bite in Elsa's lip (and she can't help wondering, did Elsa always have that bite or was it Anna who had it first?) and the curl in her fingers.<p>

One day, Elsa goes into the city and makes snowmen with the children. She laughs there and all of it is genuine.

Kristoff sees her looking.

"You don't think that's even a little creepy?"

"What?"

"Staring at your sister."

"Pssh, that's not creepy. I mean, I basically did that before except I did it to her door. Her door didn't object."

His arm is around her, solid and comfortable. "What a surprise." She nestles in closer to him. They stand like that for a while. Then he says, "I haven't seen her like this since the day she made the courtyard into an ice rink. Is she like this with you?"

Anna starts to say _Not since we were kids_ but is that true?

"She can be," Anna says. "If she's in a good mood or sometimes when she's tired and being silly. I wish she could be like this all the time though."

"She has a lot to deal with."

"I know," Anna says. "But that shouldn't stop her from being happy."

"It doesn't, does it?"

She can't answer that.

* * *

><p>Anna goes to Elsa, to hand her something. Elsa jolts, as though Anna has interrupted a daydream. Maybe she has.<p>

What does Elsa daydream about?

Another question. Every time Anna thinks she's getting to grips with Elsa, there's always another question.

Elsa starts to smile that regal, even smile she wears so well but Anna hears herself say, "Don't."

Elsa looks almost grateful as the smile slips away. They regard each other silently.

Anna says, "You're seeing David later?"

Elsa nods, still not smiling, her hands twisting Anna's paper.

"OK."

As she turns to leave, Elsa says, "Do you remember when you asked me if I've ever been happy? And I said I was almost happy when I built the ice castle?"

"Yeah," Anna says but her throat's dry and her heart aches.

"I sometimes wonder if I ever could have been happy there." She keeps twisting the paper. Anna's work will be illegible now. "Anna …do you think you can ever be happy if you build a prison and lock yourself in it?"

_Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free_.

Oh, what lies we tell ourselves.

"Maybe some people could be," Anna says. "I couldn't." She reaches a hand out to Elsa who flinches before letting it settle on her arm. "But I don't think anyone should build a prison for themselves unless that's where they _want_ to be."

Elsa smiles now, her normal smile, not her regal one. "You give me hope, you know that, Anna?"

"For what?" Anna says and then wishes she could have said _anything_ that would have made her sound less stupid.

"That people can go through hell and still be happy."

Elsa's hand touches Anna's arm, their touches causing their arms to entwine. There's something in that touch that tells Anna that even though she's never said it, Elsa _knows_ what Hans said to her, knows that she still dreams of the ice shard hitting her and then nothing: just the colour of black. Or maybe she doesn't know but she understands.

And Elsa, who has lived a life emotionless and hidden away, who had to help rule a country as soon as their parents died, who was nearly killed because of her sister's anger and nearly watched her sister die because of her, thinks happiness is a hope, not a reality.

_I wish she could be like this all the time._

Elsa's not one for prisons. She destroyed Hans' after all. And her parents' prison nearly destroyed her. But she survived it almost in one piece.

But that's Elsa. Elsa's the one who can do magic, can escape prisons, can survive isolation, can rule a country while dealing with the demons of her past. Everything Anna did, she did with other people. Could only do with other people. Maybe Anna is happy but Elsa is the capable one.

_I think we both had our own methods of coping with how we grew up._

Elsa loves her. Everything Elsa did, after freezing Arendelle, she did for Anna and her country. Everything she intended to do was for Anna. Even before that, Elsa hid from Anna _for _Anna. And she did all of it on her own.

_Let me help. What can I do? I do have to know all of this, you know._

What can Anna do, when no one trusts her to do anything? When she has to _ask _to help? When Elsa refuses to let Anna sacrifice herself? She isn't Elsa. She isn't a ruler or a witch or even respected. She's just … Anna.

_Don't underestimate yourself, Anna_.

Elsa trusts her. Elsa used her idea. Uses her ideas. She put Anna in charge of ice export. She asks her to attend events as the royal representative. She talks to Anna.

And Anna's saved Elsa before. She made it to the North Mountain with the help of Kristoff and Oaken's gear. She fought off wolves with Kristoff. She confronted the most terrifying ruler in the world alone. She escaped from Hans' prison with Olaf. And she made it to Elsa before the sword could fall. Elsa couldn't stop her that time.

Maybe there isn't always _something_. Maybe there's always _someone_.

And maybe she's Elsa's someone.

Maybe she won't provide the magic ingredient that will make Elsa happy forever. But if she doesn't try, who will?

She lets go of Elsa's arm.

"I'll see you later, sis."

Elsa looks at her carefully. "You look as though something's happened."

"Nothing's happened," Anna says. "Yet."

* * *

><p>Following that conversation, Anna almost withdraws. She's still there, of course – still chatty and friendly and jokey – but only when Elsa addresses her. And when she doesn't, Anna looks at her with intense, blue eyes.<p>

Whatever Anna is thinking about, it involves her. Anna won't tell her exactly what it is but she sometimes asks questions. Not questions about her life before or even about who Elsa is. Sometimes, they're about politics or the law. Sometimes they're about history. Sometimes they're about Elsa's opinions on topics.

There's that familiar anxiety, that Elsa has done something to cause this, but then Anna smiles at her, eyes bright, and Elsa decides to trust her. Whatever Anna is thinking, she'll let Elsa know when she's ready.

She hopes.

* * *

><p>When the answer comes to her, it is morning and Anna is helping with planning for the party that evening. She's not sure her presence is actually needed but it gives her something to do. It's to be relatively quiet – another dinner with music. Another way for people to meet the Burakoemin retinue. She's chattering away to one of the head planners when she hears someone comment on how handsome one of David's soldiers is. That's when she thinks of it. She's so excited that she drops the plate she's holding (Elsa has long since stopped giving her a royal allowance on the basis that Anna is now so deep in technical debt to the Crown in relation to broken antiques that all of the money should be returned anyway) and rushes off, ignoring the startled cries of the palace workers. Everyone knows she runs around without thinking so it's not like it's out of the ordinary.<p>

She asks around and finds Elsa and David in one of the small courtyards. By the time she reaches them, she's almost out of breath and has a gash on her cheek from falling over. Elsa is understandably alarmed and Anna has to calm her down. Finally, they let her explain why she's there.

"The dinner this evening," she says. "You need to turn it into a ball." She looks around. "If it's a ball," she says as quietly as she can, although the wind is loud enough and cold enough that there is no one nearby, "then the Burakoemin nobles and the Arendelle nobles get more of a chance to speak to each other."

"That's nice but I don't see why-"

"If they get a chance to speak and dance with each other, _they_ might wanna court."

"So?"

How can two people who like books and studying so much be so stupid? "You want an alliance between Arendelle and Burakoem, done by marriage. Why do you two have to be the ones who marry? What if one of _our_ nobles and one of _David's_ nobles marry? Elsa can say that anyone who harms her court harms her and David can give us what we need in exchange. It's perfect. You can call me a genius now."

David doesn't question why Anna knows he isn't keen on marrying Elsa. He frowns and says, "That's asking a lot, isn't it? You're expecting two people to meet tonight and like each other so much they get betrothed within a month or two and then agree to us using them for politics."

"But some of them have met before. I bet they haven't tried anything yet 'cause Burakoemin people don't usually marry outside Burakoem. But you're a prince – if there's a law, you can change it."

"I, uh, don't think I can go round changing the law without my father's permission. But there isn't a law, see. We just … don't do it."

"Anna, I can see where you're coming from," Elsa says gently, "but David's right. Noble betrothals take years to work out. Ours is … different. And I don't want to do anything that pressures my people into doing anything they don't want to."

Anna wants to shout because, for once, she has an idea that might actually work. Why does Elsa destroy anything that might make her happy? Why is Elsa too damn selfless to see that she doesn't _always_ have to shoulder the burden? That other people can – may even _want_ to – help her?

Of course, if she weren't that way, she wouldn't be Elsa.

"I'm not saying do that. I'm not even saying it's gonna work 'cause, you know, it's hard to say anything's definitely gonna work. What I'm saying is: let them see. It _might_ work and there's no harm in it. Just 'cause you're trying this doesn't mean you two have to cancel whatever it is you have. How about this? Just have the ball and let it be known that you're happy for people to talk but make it sound like it's 'cause things are going well with David – not that they're _not_ going well 'cause you two are giving each other cutlery for some weird reason – I mean, not weird, it's sweet, even if it's for violence and … anyway, David can let slip that whatever rules they have can be relaxed. And … I dunno what the law here is but I can do the same and then … all I'm saying is just _see_ if anyone asks for permission to court. If no one does, nothing's changed but if someone does, maybe they can be the alliance."

"Wait, you don't know what the law on marrying foreign nobles is? Why did you ask to marry Hans without knowing if the law even allowed it?"

It doesn't hurt as much as it usually does. "I wasn't exactly thinking straight, was I? Come on then, what _is _the law?"

Elsa pauses. "I, uh, actually, I don't know. I should look that up."

Which means she's thinking about it.

"Besides, you were the Queen, you could've made whatever declaration you wanted. You've done it once, with Kristoff."

"Twice, surely."

"Twice?"

"I made up his position; that was once. Then when you were having kittens about his not being a prince, I said he was equivalent to being a baron because that was the first title I could think of that wasn't a lord. And only then because I think lords have to own land."

"Wait, what? You decided to make him a noble on the spot? _After_ you made up the title?"

"Well, I didn't think he wanted to be a noble and it didn't seem all that important to you. But then you were so anxious that I thought, if that was what was worrying you two, he might as well have one. I mean, who was going to question it? The position had only existed for a few weeks. I thought if anyone asked, I'd say I _had_ said it and no one had listened." She pauses. "I don't think I can make up the law here though."

Elsa _didn't_ do it from propriety. She did it on a whim. On impulse. She-

"Aye, very nice, I'm glad we've discovered Elsa can give out ranks whenever she wants," David says, "but unless your next idea's going to involve making up some more extremely long titles, I think we need to get back to discussing changing _tonight's_ dinner into a ball."

He's smiling, despite the snarky tone to his words. He's a comfortable man to be around. She thinks Elsa _could_ love him. But loving someone and desiring their touch isn't the same thing and not everyone knows how to have one without the other.

Elsa's smile fades. "If they get on … I don't want to use them like that."

"Then ask. Elsa, you can _ask_ if they wouldn't mind."

"It doesn't sound right when a queen asks. Queens never ask. They order."

"Well, order them to answer honestly then. Tell them the deal's being done whether they marry or you marry – which is true."

"Then why am I taking such an interest in their wedding if I'm going to agree to the same things and marry David?"

"Wait, are we definitely getting married now?"

"_Hypothetically_."

"I dunno. That sounded like you just agreed to marry David."

"Look, can we take this seriously for more than fifteen seconds? David, I _might_ marry you, but my point is, if we're agreeing exactly the same deal, why should it matter if they're marrying? Anna, I'm sorry but for your idea to work, these people have to fall in love _very_ quickly and I have to somehow convince them to marry without suggesting that I'm ordering them to marry because I don't want to marry David."

"Wait, we're _not_ getting married?"

Elsa rounds on David, hands on hip. "Someone," she says darkly, "is looking to be turned into a snowman."

"Would I at least get to talk? Like Olaf?"

Anna snorts and Elsa turns to glare at her but then she starts to giggle as well. David's chuckles join them and for a few seconds, Anna completely forgets that they are trying to change the future. Sometimes, it's nice to just laugh. Elsa often forgets that.

She can see the idea turning over in their minds. Yet she can see their point. Anna's next idea is for _her_ to do the encouraging but maybe she's spent too long with Elsa and her realism has rubbed off on her because she realises she's in the _same_ position as David and Elsa. Plenty of people know that Elsa and Anna eat dinner together nearly every single night. She's heard people say she and Elsa are thick as thieves, that Anna is her trusted confidante. If Anna tries to comment on royal business, they will assume Elsa has sent her.

Once, she thinks, being unable to be seen as someone friendly and part of the people would have upset her. Then again, once, she only wanted to meet a handsome prince and live outside the palace doors. Now she's part of something bigger, a vital piece of Elsa's reign and-

"They don't have to get betrothed!"

Elsa has stopped laughing by now and gives her that look which means she's not sure whether to humour Anna or tell her she's insane. "You said-"

"No, I know. But you're right that if we encourage them to get betrothed, that's doing to them what's happening to you. But the _point_ of you two marrying wouldn't be so that you two get married – it'd be to ally Burakoem and Arendelle. So, so what if just allowing people to court and mix is enough? I mean, if one of David's nobles wanted to court one of our nobles, maybe that noble could _stay_ or go or something. It'd show our nations are together! And then we could make an agreement on that basis and-"

"It's not as strong as-"

"_Why_ wouldn't it be as strong as you two marrying? Arendelle needs food and supplies; you want protection. Having people move to each country shows you're allying. You _don't_ need to marry to show you want to help each other."

Elsa looks thoughtful. "It still isn't as strong. If we're married then I _have_ to help and vice versa. Because we're tied to each other's countries. And if we had a child – and we'd be trying, I suppose – that child would be an unalienable link. I could easily disclaim Burakoem even if my nobles are there. _But_," she says, holding up a hand to forestall Anna's protests, "that's not to say this wouldn't work. The only problem is that I would need to publically say that if anyone attacks Burakoem, Arendelle will come to its aid and I … I said I wouldn't do that. It's not even in the betrothal agreement, past us sending some soldiers there."

"Then don't say it. Say you're swapping reindeer or something. Let people make up their own minds."

"I suppose. But people would still think it. It might work. Or they might come after me or use a fight with Burakoem as an excuse to capture me."

"They wouldn't attack Arendelle, I don't think. They would attack us in an attempt to draw you out." David, too, has stopped smiling. "I guess that's the question then. Do you risk misery or safety?"

"Elsa," Anna says slowly, "say you did marry David. What would stop them attacking anyway? Maybe not straight away but eventually other countries will figure out that David married you for defence – even if that's not what's in the betrothal agreement, they'll know that's why Burakoem approached you. And maybe they'd want to stop you before you could have a child with your powers. The only advantage marrying David would have is that the threat's implied for a short time."

"Anna, when did you get so smart?"

"What? Come on, that's totally uncalled for. I-"

"Half the time, whenever I have a problem that looks difficult or impossible, I give it to you and you look at it and say, 'that's easy, just do this'. And it works. Or it could."

Does Elsa not realise, Anna's always been like this? Anna climbed up the North Mountain in a dress because no one told her she couldn't.

She shrugs. "Some of us are just born geniuses, sis. Does that mean you're gonna try it?"

Elsa looks at David. "I guess I have little to lose. If we get any petitions, great. If we don't … we carry on. David?"

Those eyes make her shiver. He smiles anyway. "I'm for it, then," he says. "But I'm _not_ going to be the one who goes back in there and tells the party planners it has to be a ball."

Elsa turns to her and she can guess from the wicked sparkle in her eyes what will happen next. "Anna's idea, and Anna's the one with an in with the entertainment planners. She can go."

"Come on, you're the _Queen_. They'll ignore me."

"You're _Crown Princess_. You're second-in-command. Take Olaf."

"How will _Olaf_ help?"

"Try refusing him when he asks for something. It's surprisingly difficult." As Anna tries to formulate some kind of response, Elsa adds, "The longer we stay here, the less likely it is that there'll be a ball. Tell them I ordered it."

"Believe me, I'm not gonna say it's my idea."

"It _is_ your idea."

"Are you two always like this, then?" David asks, amused. "Most younger siblings show their older siblings respect. I like this approach."

Anna shrugs. "Yeah, that didn't work out for us."

"Anna doesn't respect anyone."

"That's not true!"

David coughs. "So, the ball…"

"Fine. Fine, I'm going. But I am blaming _everything_ on you two."

* * *

><p>In any event, the ball doesn't happen that evening. Halfway to the planners, Anna realises that someone has to tell the nobles. After another brief conversationargument with Elsa, they agree to hold the ball the next day. The planners do still nearly have a fit when Anna tells them but at least none of them attempt to kill her, although she does turn a deaf ear to several people who are suddenly plotting treason.

She makes Kristoff attend. He's been to a few of these events with her and he's not comfortable there. If they ever did get married, she suspects that while he would need to attend more events, their lives would be nearer the ice cutters.

Unless Elsa dies.

Because then he would be royal consort to the Queen.

_Elsa, kneeling and broken on the ice, as a sword is lifted high_.

Don't think about that.

She hasn't told him about the plan, partly because he has a tendency to pick her plans apart _loudly_ and partly because she's nervous. If this doesn't work, she'll have failed. Maybe David and Elsa could be happy. But she unknowingly watched her sister curl in on herself from afar for thirteen years. She doesn't know if she could knowingly do it from such a near distance for even thirteen hours.

Kristoff notices that she's nervous. His comments are gentler than normal and he keeps an arm around her whenever he can, because he knows it calms her. Nobility who are only courting aren't supposed to engage in open displays of affection but Anna and Kristoff are now a well-established couple and, well, no one expects Anna to follow noble protocol. Sometimes, being viewed as the awkward, clumsy second daughter has its advantages.

She tries not to speak to many of the guests because she's terrified that she'll blurt the plan out. Kristoff doesn't mind – he hates the stupid games many of the nobles play and hates having to suffer snide jabs about his background. He also hates the way Anna always steps in to defend him and, truth be told, she hates it too. So they spend much of their evening in a corner, sneaking sweets from a table. Funny. Once, Anna longed for dances and parties and balls. Once, she would have thought that she'd go to the centre of the room and never stop dancing.

Although, she spent most of her first ball talking to Hans outside.

Maybe she's never liked balls as much as she thought she would.

She doesn't look at Elsa to begin with, too scared to see how the plan is going – _if_ the plan is going. She doesn't like how Elsa is at these events. The Elsa here is calm and regal. She politely chuckles rather than snorts and laughs. She makes few snide comments. She is kind and she is friendly but she's distant. When she's outside the court – at festivals, or when Elsa does any impromptu entertainment for Arendelle – she is more animated but there is still that gap. If people could see – if Elsa would _let_ people see – the Elsa who makes innuendoes with a perfectly straight face, who sometimes creates little ice sculptures because she can, who guffaws and snorts her drink, then they would be more inclined towards her. If they could only sit with her when she cries or hear her make Anna promise not to give up Kristoff for her then they would know she's human.

Her father once said that people generally only aspire to a few things. A father and a soldier. A wife and a maid. Easygoing and cheerful; stoic and calm. But a monarch has to be everything. A politician, a parent, a shepherd. Easygoing in some cases, hard in others. To be a monarch is to be more than human. It is to be the best of all of them.

She still hates him but she has to admit, he trained Elsa well.

Despite this, she's surprised when David and Elsa dance. For most of the evening, Elsa has resisted dancing. Anna knows, from evening dinners and from her own guesswork, that Elsa loved dancing when she was little but that their parents stopped the lessons after the accident (which, still, Elsa will not describe); that she has not danced properly since she was eight because she is scared of losing control; and that dancing is something she misses desperately, even thirteen years on. She isn't sure how much persuasion David had to use – he has danced often, though never with other women – but she follows him onto the dance floor. Some of the nobles openly stare because no one has _ever_ seen Elsa dance.

Anna vaguely remembers having dance lessons with Elsa – not least because her last memory of playing with Elsa as a child is of the day before the accident, when they put on some kind of dance show for their parents. That Elsa is out of practice is clear – as the music starts, she constantly glances at her feet and misses a couple of beats. But the Elsa of her memories was a talented dancer (for a small child), and some of that natural talent begins to shine through. It's a slow song and David guides Elsa well. Elsa doesn't speak as they dance and Anna thinks it's because she's concentrating. Scared of making a mistake. But looking around at the nobles – from both countries – she thinks that fear is misplaced. Maybe a monarch does have to be the best of everyone but even the best people make mistakes and she can see that this small thing is endearing Elsa to her court.

When the dance ends, some of the Burakoemin servants, who have been in attendance, pick up their instruments. Arendelle's music is brass – Burakoem favours string and woodwind. They strike up a lively tune and the Burakoemin nobles begin to dance, a strange dance filled with skipping and clapping. Someone calls out movements as the nobles pair up.

David holds a hand out to Elsa, who hesitates. She turns her head in Anna's direction and their eyes meet. Anna sticks her thumbs up. She doesn't know why but it seems like the right thing to do. Elsa grins – actually _grins_ – and takes David's hand. Her dress and shoes aren't made for skipping but she still tries and it encourages the other Arendelle guests to join in. Elsa laughs as she tries to keep up and that makes Anna smile from her corner. Next to her, Kristoff taps the table appreciatively.

When the music ends, Elsa and David return to their table. Anna looks at her older sister. Elsa's normally pale face is flushed and her eyes dance as she discusses something animatedly with the foreign prince.

Three times. Elsa has been happy, or close to it, three times since she was eight.

Looking at her now, Anna's quite sure that number has increased to four.


	5. The Knowing

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Frozen_**

**Review reply to _Frozenmyheart_:** Thanks for the review. Also I like that phrase. Rumble crumble. I'm going to see if I can slip it into a conversation at work now, just for kicks.

**A/n: **Well, this is it. The final chapter. After discovering that everyone who's reviewed wants something entirely different for the ending, I am fully expecting perhaps one person to approve of it (for the avoidance of doubt, the substance of the ending is the same as in the first draft. I haven't changed it in accordance with any of the reviews). I genuinely had no idea I'd have that breadth of opinion. But that's enough covering my own back. It's midnight and I need to be in work in 9.5 hours so thank you to everyone who has read along - whether you reviewed, favourited, put this on alert, or are simply along for the ride. You are all awesome and I only hope that you enjoy this final chapter and have enjoyed the story overall. Geth, over and out.

5) The Knowing

"Wow, you look terrible."

Elsa glares at Anna as she enters the meeting room where Elsa is working. She came in here for some peace and quiet. Damn whoever told Anna where she was. Damn whoever knew that Elsa will never punish anyone who sends Anna to her, no matter how busy Elsa is.

"Thank you, Anna. I love you too."

Anna's eyes crinkle as she smiles and despite her aching feet and painful exhaustion, Elsa has to fight to keep from doing the same. She will never get tired of making Anna smile. She glances back at the petitions she is reading. She ended up missing them this morning, knowing that her tired state would probably lead her to make some on-the-spot unjust decisions. Instead, she requested that they be written down. Her idea was to work through them quickly and efficiently.

Anna peeks over. "'Stop complaining, it's just a painting. I'll buy you one myself if it'll make you happy.' Are you actually going to say that?"

Elsa snatches the page away. "No," she says. "Obviously I am not going to tell people that they should grow up and sort their own problems out when it's about who owns a terrible replica painting of some flowers. I might _think_ it but I won't say it. Nor am I going to buy anyone a painting. It was just the first thing that came into my head." She looks again at the petition. "Bah. I'm offering judgment for the respondent. It might have been the claimant's first but the respondent bought it from the thief in good faith and it's the thief who should be chased."

"You're grouchy today."

"I didn't get much sleep."

There's a twinkle in Anna's eyes as she says, "I can't think why."

"You know why."

"Wait, what? You're admitting it?"

"Admitting what? I was at that ball – _your_ ball – until the early hours of this morning and I had to wake up a few hours later."

Anna keeps grinning. "You can tell me, you know."

"I just did." Seeing the amusement in Anna's eyes, she groans. "Anna, I'm far too tired for this. _What_ do you think I did last night?"

The amusement disappears quickly. Part of Anna shrinks and Elsa feels terrible.

"Just … I mean, when I left – which was pretty late, you know – you and David were looking _pretty_ close. You know, with his arm around you and all and I thought-"

She closes her eyes. "Nothing you're thinking happened. We managed to get rid of the last few guests and then went to our _separate_ rooms. Where I fell on my bed, slept for a few hours, and woke up with aching feet." She opens her eyes again. "Why did I try dancing in those shoes?"

"Is that- Um, OK. Sure. Yeah."

If Anna asks a question, Elsa has to answer it. So Anna isn't asking.

"Anna-"

"I'm sorry," she says quickly. "I shouldn't have said anything. I mean, I know it's a touchy issue for you and that's why we had the whole plan. How, uh, how'd that go by the way?"

Finally, Elsa smiles. "It … well, it wasn't a huge success but … Baron Lars approached me to ask if I'd ever consider allowing members of the court to court Burakoemin women. It seems he's quite taken with a girl called…" She scrunches her face as she tries to pronounce the name. "Ang-arad? Anaharad?"

"Oh, Angharad. C'mon, didn't you even try to learn their names?"

"I learnt their names, I just can't pronounce them. Anyway, I assume Lars can because David told me he received a similar question from An… from the girl."

"Angharad's your age."

"Fine, the woman."

"You really _are_ grouchy today."

"Yes, well. Anyway, I told him that I was happy with it if David was. Of course, David said the same thing. So … hopefully that will bloom into something. David's writing a letter to his father outlining our idea, along with the betrothal agreement as it is. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won't."

"You don't seem too worried about it," Anna says and then puts her hand to her mouth. Elsa regards her as fondness washes over her. Anna is about as good at hiding her feelings as Elsa is at pronouncing Burakoemin names.

"You can ask, if you want."

Anna hesitates but something in Elsa's face must convince her because she says, "Were you telling the truth? You left the party and went straight to bed?" She pauses and says, "Only, someone said they saw you going to David's room and-"

Elsa raises a hand. "OK, I _almost_ told the truth. I left the party with David and I was in his room very briefly – I'd guess about ten minutes – and then I left. We wanted to talk about how the party went and the library was too much of an effort."

"Isn't your room closer?"

Elsa looks away. Her room is closer but it's also the only part of her life that doesn't belong to anyone else. Anna's more-or-less the first person to be invited there since their parents died.

"Yes," she says because that is, technically, the right answer. Seeing Anna's curiosity, she sighs. It still takes a few seconds to build up the courage, which is ridiculous because conversation like this shouldn't be about courage. There shouldn't _be_ wariness. They should just … be. "If you must know," she starts but that's too prim a tone and Anna will feel bad because she'll think she's guilted Elsa into admitting this. And, OK, some of it is guilt but there's a part of Elsa that _wants_ to tell Anna. "OK, I went back to his room to talk about the party. And we did. And then…" She coughs, trying to fight the blush she can feel coming. "We, uh, we kissed. Again." Anna giggles. Elsa scowls. "What?"

"You just looked so _cute_ – adorable, I mean. Embarrassed. It's only kissing, Elsa." And then the blush – which has hit Elsa – also creeps up on Anna's face. "I'm sorry," she says quickly and how many times has Anna apologised today? "I shouldn't tease you." Before Elsa can say anything, she says, "So, uh, was it, uh, better than the last time? That's an optional question by the way. You know what? Never mind, I'm glad the plan went we-"

"It was better," Elsa admits, thinking of that moment at the end of their discussion, when David pointed out that one _maybe_ wasn't exactly a roaring success and Elsa heard herself say that maybe David was right. They would at least be miserable together. And his hand was on her arm and he leaned forward. "I think. I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure? Either it felt better or it didn't."

Elsa crosses her arms. "It … it felt nice, I guess. Pleasant enough. But I think maybe I was just prepared for it this time. I don't think I had the urge to, uh, how did you say it? Snog him senseless?"

Anna snorts. "Sorry," she says _again_. "Only, somehow, that phrase just doesn't sound right coming from you."

Elsa smiles. Anna's so good at this – at making people feel at ease. If she could only learn to think before she speaks most of the time, rather than some of the time, she could be a diplomat. Maybe.

"You know what I mean. He's nice. We get on well. But."

"Maybe you're overthinking it."

"And maybe I'm not."

Anna shrugs. "Maybe you aren't. I guess you're the only one who can tell." She pouts. "This isn't nearly as exciting as I hoped it would be, by the way. Especially after you told me I'm not allowed to tell you if I-"

"That _still_ applies, little sister. What I am _going_ to assume is that when you and Kristoff left, he left the castle and you went to your room where you promptly fell asleep. I do _not_ want to know if anything else occurred."

"I-"

"_Partly_ because if I find out you and Kristoff are sharing more than kisses, the law actually says I have to make you two marry. I checked. Believe me, _one_ forced marriage is enough for me to handle right now."

"What? It does not say that."

"It does. I'll even show you the scroll. It's a fairly old law but it's been enforced before. If anyone in the royal line has sex before marriage – especially women, apparently – the monarch must force that person to marry the other person. It's to stop royal children being born out of wedlock."

"What if I slept with a girl?"

Elsa blinks. "Um. Actually, the law is gender neutral so I guess… I mean, we don't _allow_ marriage between two men or two women. I suppose I could write a law allowing that first then make you do it. I don't suppose it's ever come up before. At least, the monarch probably didn't know about it. Why? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No," Anna says and laughs. "OK, one more. Say you _do_ go and sleep with David. Does that mean you have to marry him?"

"What? You mean do I force _myself_ to marry him?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, Anna. I tell myself that I've been extremely naughty and then I hold an ice pick to my own back all the way up the aisle."

"Do you really get to use an ice pick?"

"Anna, have I ever told you that you can be extremely annoying sometimes?"

Anna only laughs. "I _like_ grouchy you. You're a lot more fun this way. Well, let me know how Lars and Angharad work out and what David's father says." She makes her way to the door. "Elsa?"

Elsa braces herself for the next joke. "Yes?"

"Thanks for telling me. About you and David." She smiles, and this time, it's her sweet smile. "I like being able to talk to you about these things." She pauses. "You know, apart from you threatening to make me marry Kristoff."

"_If_ you sleep together and feel the need to tell me."

Anna laughs. "I love you, Elsa. Don't ever change."

* * *

><p>In the days following the ball, there is an almost relaxed atmosphere in the castle. With the message in Burakoem, there is nothing Elsa or David can do, and both of them are determined to enjoy the calm. Elsa doesn't talk about the betrothal to David or Anna at all. Instead, she continues to spend some time each day talking to David and dinner each evening with Anna.<p>

There are still questions between her and Anna of course. But around those questions, memories begin to emerge. She doesn't know which of them starts it but once or twice, they talk about funny little habits their mother had, or the way their father would always tuck his chair under the table. Elsa says once that she always wished she had the royal family's strawberry-blonde hair and Anna reminds her of the day she decided to dye her hair bright blonde.

As their chuckles subside, Anna says, "It doesn't hurt as much now." Elsa doesn't need to ask what Anna is talking about because she agrees. Memories of four walls and seasons passing outside a window seem less important than dancing at a ball, or playing with snowmen, or even crying in a library while her sister holds her.

Sometimes Anna talks to David with Elsa but, mostly, she leaves them alone. He is still nervous and respectful but he's definitely relaxed since their first meeting. She tells him the innocent stories from her childhood – Anna's childhood, really – and he tells her tales of growing up with two older brothers, of green hills and more sheep and rain than any country should sensibly have. She almost wishes this period of time could last forever.

But then David's messenger returns from Burakoem, stating that the king would like to speak to his son in person. It's not as bad as the message implies, however, for the king also gives permission for Angharad and a few others to remain in Burakoem. In fact, David is the only one _required_ to return to Burakoem.

Anna and Elsa talk about the likelihood of the plan continuing. Most of their conversations focus on that. Elsa doesn't know if she misses the other, probing conversations. She feels as though she and Anna are almost as close as they were when they were children but that _almost_ is a big gap. Of course, there are things Elsa knows now that she didn't know before. Anna's favourite toy was a doll. When she tried to run away, when she was twelve, she did make it to the festival. She'd never kissed anyone before Kristoff. She likes strong-tasting drinks. She genuinely did talk to pictures on the wall and, in fact, still does it when she's stressed. Every year, on her birthday, she used to wish that Elsa would come out and give Anna her present in person – but, similarly, one of the reasons she knew Elsa loved her was because Elsa's present was always something Anna wanted. A small proof that Elsa listened.

There are still so many things they haven't discussed and, as time goes on, she doesn't know if they ever will. Maybe they don't need to. Maybe Anna's never expressly said why she was so eager to marry a man after just two hours but Elsa knows, from idle comments and from her own observations that Anna was desperately lonely when they were children and that she felt – perhaps not unfairly – that much of their parents' attention went to Elsa. Then, of course, there was the disappearance of Elsa. Sometimes, Elsa thinks that the trolls should not have left Anna with the fun memories of their childhood. Perhaps Anna would not have been so desperately attached to Elsa if she didn't have those memories to cling to.

But then, if Anna hadn't had those memories, maybe she wouldn't have trusted Elsa. Maybe she wouldn't have tried to save her.

_Eyes wide, hand raised, a cape caught mid-swirl. The sound of nothing is almost deafening._

So maybe Anna has never said but Elsa feels as though she can guess much of it. It still feels like a gap between them. But it's beginning to feel like a gap that maybe, just maybe, she can cross. One day.

* * *

><p>On that last day, there is one more dinner, one more excursion, and, finally, a library conversation with David. Somehow, the library has become their place. Elsa likes how all his awkwardness and shyness has melted in here, how he knows where many of the books are, how his eyes dance with humour. She likes how she can enter, feeling exhausted, and he'll make her laugh within minutes. She knows most of these things are to do with David and not with the library but she's beginning to associate the room with laughter. Smiles. And uncertainty and trepidation. It was the place of her first kiss. Not a place that speaks to her of happiness, necessarily, but a place that makes her feel.<p>

As evening turns to night, they kiss again. David says it's for tradition and she doesn't stop him but she feels … she doesn't know. And it's frustrating because she doesn't know if this is because of how she grew up or if she would always have been this way. She doesn't _think_ she's repressing anything but there's still that part that says, _you can't feel that. You can't let him know_ and she doesn't know _what_ he shouldn't know.

"Are you OK? I'm not that bad at this, am I?"

He's smiling but not his eyes. That's one thing she doesn't like about him. It reminds her too much of herself.

"Do you feel anything?" she says and then puts a hand to her mouth as he freezes but it's too late, the words are out and she can't take them back.

He coughs. The stoic expression he wore so often in the first visit returns. "I…"

"Don't answer," she says. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." She tries to smile. "Anna always does things like that. Says something inappropriate. She always apologises to me but often, she just goes with it. I think maybe she rubbed off on me and … I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Is this what Anna feels like? _All the time?_

"You can ask," he says. "If we ever did get married, see, I like to think we'd be the kind of couple that would at least check if the other person's enjoying themselves." Which says a lot about him because she knows of several noble marriages of convenience and power where one party probably isn't enjoying themselves at all. "So, uh, yes. Um." He shuffles slightly. "Truth is, I do like you, Elsa. I don't feel nothing but I'm not sure I feel quite as strongly as I should though. But," he says quietly, "I feel as though maybe I could. To me, it feels as though there _could_ be something." His dark eyes pierce hers and he smiles gently. "It's not the same for you, is it? I can tell."

Suddenly, she wants to cry. She starts to put the mask she wears so well into place but that gentle smile dissolves it. "I don't know," she whispers. "Anna says maybe I'm overthinking it but I think maybe I'm broken. It would make sense." She looks at her hands. "I don't even think someone like me is supposed to reproduce."

He is quiet for a very long time and now she feels terrible because he _isn't_ Anna and shouldn't have to listen to her confess her innermost fears. No one should. That's her burden to shoulder.

"I don't think not feeling anything when kissing means you're broken," he says quietly. "If that's how you are then that's that then. And it might not be that you don't ever feel anything. Maybe we're just not meant to be." He sits down next to her and places a gentle arm around her shoulders. She doesn't flinch and it surprises her because it wasn't that long ago that she couldn't even hold an item, let alone a person. "You're far too quick to assume that if something goes wrong or something isn't normal, it's your fault."

"It usually is," she mumbles.

"Some things don't have fault. Some things just are." He pauses. "I still think, mind, if we had to marry, it wouldn't be that bad. Or, probably not."

"It wouldn't be fair on you."

"And it'd be fair on you then?" He smiles slightly. "See, this is exactly what I mean. OK, say we get married and you never want to touch me but I want to touch you. You'll spend the entire time feeling bad about that. I _know_ you will. See, we'll both be miserable about it. So it's equally bad for both of us."

She looks at him. "You're too nice," she says. "That's the problem."

"And you're not? See, _more _things in common. Just think of all the conversations we could have. We wouldn't have _time_ for anything else – we'll be too busy talking about which one of us is the most hard-done by. Besides, if it's going to bother you _that_ much, how about this compromise? I'll tell you who I find attractive and you give me written consent to have an affair."

She can't help it: she laughs. "David, you'd be the husband of the Queen of Arendelle. People would feel obliged to _tell_ me you were having an affair." She pauses. "You haven't been talking to Anna, have you? This is exactly the sort of idea she'd have."

"Does that mean it's a good one?"

"Anna's ideas are generally either very good or very bad. She's not one for the middle ground."

"Well, you see, the beauty of the plan is that you then show people the written consent. Besides, if _you_ find someone attractive, you can ask me for written consent. See, we're getting the whole two-way thing down now."

She looks at him. Then she shrugs out from under his arm. Before he can ask – or not ask – why, she places her hands on his shoulders and kisses him firmly. His arms wind around her back as he gently kisses back.

She's very aware of his hands and his lips. The fluttering of his eyelids and should she close her eyes too? She slides her hands down his back because it seems like she should do something and he shivers and this is-

It starts to snow. He moves back and glances around, confused. "You could have said stop, you know."

She concentrates and makes it stop snowing. "S-sorry," she says. "I lose control, sometimes. When I … uh… yeah."

"I see. Do you often, uh, yeah?"

She shoves him gently to cover up her embarrassment. She isn't sure what triggered the snowfall. It could be the uncertainty of what to do. It could be the realisation that she wasn't acting at all proper. It could be the embarrassment. Or maybe she felt something. She thinks maybe that time she did. Or maybe she's imagining it. Maybe she wants to think she felt something.

"I'll see what my father has to say," David says. "Remember, he might agree to the plan and let us call off the betrothal. It may be that we're worrying about nothing."

She thinks of the way he makes jokes to alleviate tension, the way he doesn't push on touchy topics, the fact that he doesn't even hesitate to touch her, the only person apart from her sister who doesn't.

She thinks of kisses that didn't make her feel what she thinks she should feel but didn't feel bad either.

_Elsa, don't _you_ want_ _to be happy?_

"Maybe we are," she says. She doesn't look at him. "But if we're not then I think maybe…" She peeks up at him. "Maybe we don't have to be miserable."

He smiles and she smiles back.

* * *

><p>Anna watches Elsa stand at the dock until the ship has disappeared from view.<p>

She walks next to her sister and reaches for her hand. Elsa doesn't react, just stares at the sea with an expression that's halfway to the expression she wears when she looks at Anna and sees whatever it is that haunts her. Anna squeezes Elsa's hand gently. After a few seconds, Elsa squeezes back.

Slowly, Anna leads Elsa back to the palace, not once letting go of those ice-cold fingers.

* * *

><p>Like last time, Elsa throws herself into her work and Anna disappears to do other things. Elsa needs the space. Sometimes, Anna marvels that Elsa is as social as she is, given how much of her life she's spent in a room decorated only by watermarks. Then again, Anna grew up behind grey walls herself.<p>

As they eat dinner, Anna doesn't ask any awkward questions. To be honest, she doesn't feel as though many of her questions _are_ awkward anymore. There are topics they avoid and one day, she might finally summon the courage to tackle them. Kristoff once called her fearless but she wouldn't describe herself that way. Fearless is the absence of fear and Anna has plenty of that. But her fear is of Elsa's eyes, hurt; of being held between walls with nothing to do and no one to speak to; of saying words which break people; of one day having children and, with the best intentions, slowly crushing them; of _oh Anna. If only there was someone out there who loved you_ and too slow, too slow, she'll never make it; of nothing: just the colour of black. Maybe some of those are things she can do little about now but she won't be the one to break Elsa. Not when Elsa is so much … better.

She watches her sister as they eat. She wears her hair loose – has done since the Great Thaw – but the rest of her is maintained to a prim perfection which Anna is unable to copy. She taps her goblet (filled with fruit juice and not wine, _of course_) and Anna knows she's thinking of something that isn't terrible but isn't great either. When Elsa is happy, she'll fidget more; when she's upset, she's still and Anna knows it's concentration.

She still doesn't know if Elsa likes her powers.

Elsa catches her eye and smiles because she's Elsa and she almost never tells Anna if she's upset.

Anna will ask. One day.

* * *

><p>Three nights later, Anna presents Elsa with cake. Or, it's supposed to be cake. It's kind of floppy. Anna's <em>sure<em> she followed the recipe perfectly but it doesn't look like it did in the picture. The icing is all over the place and although it's filled with berries, she doesn't think they're meant to stick out at those angles.

Elsa looks at it questioningly.

It's on the tip of her tongue, like always.

_Who are you, Elsa?_

"It's cake."

"Oh. Yes, of course it is. Thanks, Anna." Elsa peers at it and turns to Anna. "Why have you made me cake? Your birthday's the next one."

"I thought you might need it."

"To poison my enemies?"

"Hey!" Elsa laughs and ducks as Anna scoops some dripping icing and flings it at her. "I put time and effort into that."

"Thanks," Elsa says again. She regards the cake and then pokes one of the berries.

"Cloudberries," Anna says proudly. "I had to beg Birgit for them."

Elsa coughs. "Um, Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"You, ah, you know I'm allergic to cloudberries, right?"

"What?" She stares. "Since when?"

"Since forever? Don't you remember when I was six and my face became all swollen after I ate a couple?" Elsa considers this. "I suppose you wouldn't. You were barely even three at the time. You'll have to take my word for it."

Another thing she didn't know.

Anna looks gloomily at the cake. "Great. What a waste."

"You could eat it?"

"I hate cloudberries."

"Really? But I hear everyone say how nice they are."

"Well, that's why I made it for you. I thought you were one of those people." Elsa catches her eye and then looks away. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Spit it out, Elsa."

"It's nothing important. It's just that this made me think … you know, I haven't known David that long and there are things about him I don't know and that unsettles me. But I still feel like I know parts of him. And I was thinking about how you and Kristoff came together – you two didn't know each other that long but he ran into a blizzard to find you and then you two began courting. But you couldn't have known that much about him." She fiddles with the table's edge. "I suppose what I'm thinking about is … it must be possible not to know everything about someone but still know them. You know enough about who they are not to worry about the rest of it."

Anna thinks about this. She hadn't known huge amounts about Kristoff. Not how he came to live with the trolls, nor how he founded his business. Not his favourite food, his favourite drink, his favourite melody. Not how he came to learn music. Not how long he'd known Sven for. But she'd known that he was snarky and socially awkward. She'd known that he had some issues understanding hygiene as a concept. She'd known that he was the kind of person who would throw a girl he'd just met to safety before himself. That he was the kind of person who would risk his life for someone else. She'd known enough.

And then there's Hans. She'd thought she'd known enough about him but she'd barely known anything.

Where's the dividing line? When can you say that not knowing someone likes trout or is allergic to cloudberries doesn't matter? When can you say that knowing how someone grew up, their favourite foods, their hopes, isn't enough?

_Elsa is as fragile as the ice she wields._

"Elsa," she says, "Are you going to marry David?" When Elsa hesitates, Anna adds, "You don't need to tell me that you two kissed again by the way. I could tell."

Elsa blushes – she _always_ blushes about talk like that even though she can deliver innuendoes with a perfectly straight expression and tone – and says, "I don't know. It depends on Lars and Angharad, and on David's father. If either of those falls through then … yes. I'll have to."

"And if they don't?"

Elsa shrugs. "I'd like more time, then. Maybe one day. Maybe not. I don't think I know him well enough to say I want to marry him but I think I know enough that we could maybe be almost happy. At least for a while." She smiles slightly. "I'm good with almost happy."

Which is still one of the saddest things she's heard Elsa say about herself.

_Elsa always, _always _puts the needs of everyone else before her._

And that question tugs at her.

_The only thing I would like less than to court these princes is for you to be forced into something like that. I want you to be happy, Anna._

"Do you … do you ever wish you weren't the Queen, Elsa?"

Elsa nods, although she looks confused by the subject-change. "Often. I feel as though I'm walking on the tips of icicles, trying desperately not to fall. But this is what I'm trained to do. And if I didn't help, who would? These are my people. I love them." She grins crookedly. "But you've talked to David about this before."

She has. Somehow, nothing Elsa has said surprises her. Elsa was born to be a queen.

"Do you ever wish you weren't the Crown Princess?" Elsa says. "Or that you'd been Queen yourself?"

It's a probing question. Elsa asks so few of those. But Anna feels, more and more, that she can answer them. Elsa is willing to face them. And she can face them with Elsa.

"Sometimes," she says honestly. "Being Crown Princess is scarier than I thought it'd be. The amount of responsibility is scary. You set me tasks and I think, _I don't know how to do this_. But … somehow, I manage to do it anyway." She smiles at Elsa before turning her mind to the second question. "It's not so much that I wish I were Queen but … it would have been nice not to be the one who always came second, you know?"

Elsa nods. "Even when we were apart, I got more attention, didn't I?" Ice coats and melts from her hand. "Another failing of our parents."

_Oh, Anna, what if he does fall in love with me and wants more than just being with me and I remain … frozen?_

"Elsa, do you really still love our parents?"

Elsa is quiet for a long time. "I do," she says finally. Ice-blue eyes meet hers. "They weren't perfect – I think even growing up, I knew what they were doing wasn't right – but they _tried_. And they gave up so much to save me. You know, in the history books, there are other stories of children born with powers. Many parents kill a powerful child, or abuse their powers. Mother and Father did neither. And even though they were terrified – literally terrified – that I would kill them or you, they refused to let me see that. I only found out when I went through their papers. Everything they did, they did out of love." Her fingers tap the table. "I can understand why you hate them, though." The fingers still. "Sometimes, I wish I could."

They look at each other. Anna thinks of all she doesn't know about Elsa. How much of Elsa is propriety and how much is gut instinct. The words which broke her, out on that fjord. The times she sees Marshmallow. What she thinks would have happened if her powers had never been revealed. Whether she likes her powers. Her favourite story. Her allergies.

But then she thinks of Elsa, whose favourite colour is blue and whose favourite season is spring. Who likes trout but, it turns out, is allergic to cloudberries. Who misses dancing desperately but doesn't really miss music. Even thinking of shared kisses makes her blush. She can discuss foreign policy, economics, history, politics, at the drop of a hat, but is often lost when it comes to human feelings. She won't drink alcohol because she's constantly wary of losing control but she will drink stimulant to stay awake. Despite everything, she loves the parents who isolated her and left her to run an economic mess. She's spent her life repressing her feelings, to the point that she can't even tell if she feels attraction and thinks _close to happy_ is an acceptable standard. Even so, she feels enough that she would rather sacrifice herself than see Anna hurt. She made up a rank for Kristoff because Anna was anxious. She told Anna that she could ask anything and she would answer it, and has never once gone back on that, no matter how painful the topic. She has never probed Anna's life too deeply because Anna isn't quite ready to tackle all of it. One day.

Elsa is watching her carefully and she wonders, if she's learnt all of this about Elsa then what has Elsa learnt about her, in all of her small questions and quiet observations?

_I'm sorry, Anna. I never wanted to hurt you._

Should she ask?

_You can ask me anything, OK, Anna?_

Does she need to ask?

"You OK there, Anna?"

"Yeah," Anna says. She looks at Elsa. "Yeah, I am. Anyway, I'd better take this away. I bet either Kristoff or Olaf would eat it. Guess we'll see who I find first."

Elsa raises an eyebrow. "Is that the end of the questions then?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing else you want to ask?"

_I love you, Elsa. Don't ever change._

Anna smiles and kisses Elsa on the cheek. "Maybe one day," she says. "But for now, I think I'm good."

_**Fin**_

* * *

><p><em>Note: 1201/2015 - Sorry for putting this here but it does spoil the ending slightly. Due to numerous requests/queries about what happened to David and Elsa, there is now a sequel. It is called "You Want This To Be a Love Story?" and can be found on my profile, if you're interested. If you're not interested, no problem, enjoy the rest of your day!_


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